Jason Demant, the author of the blog Life After Cubes recently launched a new travel platform called ‘UnAnchor‘. It’s a place where travelers can create personalized itineraries, sell them, or purchase some before their next trip. Jason took a few minutes to answer some questions about UnAnchor, which officially launched earlier this week.
In a tweet of 140 characters or less, what is UnAnchor?
UnAnchor.com is a platform for writers to create travel itineraries for sale to other travelers–an “App Store” for travel itineraries.
Who is the primary target user group for UnAnchor?
When I began UnAnchor I thought my target would be flashpackers — backpacker types with a little bit more disposable income, but as I began to get the word out, people approached me with itinerary ideas I would have never thought of. For example: itineraries based around seeing sights from a book or doing a tour around a certain food. So, for now I’m really not targeting a specific user, as long as they travel I think they’re a potential customer. It will all depend on the itineraries that end up getting written for the site.
How can travelers use UnAnchor to create itineraries?
With UnAnchor one can create any type of travel itinerary. The editor is as easy to use as Microsoft Word (you can also type the itinerary offline and just paste it into the editor). You can add pictures, maps, whatever you need.
The price is also completely up to you. There is a minimum of $1.00 though.
How much money can users make from creating itineraries?
The total amount is essentially infinite. By creating high-quality itineraries for popular destinations that cater to a wide-range of travelers, I believe you could potentially sell quite a few itineraries. The nice thing about creating itineraries is that once they’re created, not much updating will need to be done in the future. It can potentially become a nice source of passive income. However, it will require a good amount of work upfront.
Another idea for creating a few itineraries is starting with a 7-day itinerary for a particular destination and then customizing it for 5-days, 3-days and 1-day as well.
Any tips on creating a good itinerary?
The best question I think to keep in mind when writing is — before you went to the travel destination, what information would you have wanted to know and would have been willing to pay for?
For me, this information is: what sights do I have to see and what can I miss. How to *specifically* get around in the most cost efficient way or the most scenic way. Any “insider tips” on the destination. What are the best restaurants? What recommendations do you have for hotels/hostels? Detailed maps. How much things cost.
Another objective I have for the itinerary writers is — using just the itinerary, can the traveler get around the destination without any additional research?
What is your vision for UnAnchor; where do you hope to take it?
Right now, my primary focus is finding people who are interested in writing itineraries for the site. The site just launched a couple weeks ago and still needs to get a solid base of itineraries.
Long term however, the vision is to help travelers in two ways:
1. UnAnchor will help travelers stop researching and save money so they can just get out there.
2. Writing and then selling travel itineraries on UnAnchor is a perfect way for travelers to make extra money.
Jason, thanks again for giving me the opportunity to interview you about UnAnchor. You can create your own itineraries and post them for free as well as browse for ones in preparation for your next trip at UnAnchor.com.
What an amazing concept. It really always amazes me how creative humans are.
Thanks! I’m not sure I’ve ever heard such a nice compliment before! 🙂
Wow. Excellent concept – exciting to see where this goes. I have a brilliant two week New Zealand itinerary that I just shared with a fellow blogger. She loved it. I wonder if there is a market for it on UnAnchor. I’ll be having a look around the site Jason. Thanks Anil for sharing.
Thanks Matt! The itinerary sounds great, and I got your email. I’m excited to work with you on it.
What a fascinating concept. In my years of travelling I have developed some ideas for itineraries in my mind but they have never had any more value than that. I think people are adapted to paying a small amount for a bit of useful information (like a few dollars) and this may see such an idea really succeed. Will be interesting to watch UnAnchor going forward. It is a strange name for a company too.
Hi Mark,
Thanks! If you’re interested in trying to recreate those itineraries, let me know. Happy to work with you on them.
Jason
Hey Jason,
I fully agree with the others that this is a most fascinating idea. I spend about 3-4 hours per week already creating itineraries for India for people who contact me through my blog. I’d love to use my 2 years of experience over there to bring some of these itineraries to your site. I’ll definitely be in touch with you this week!
Thanks Earl! And sounds great, looking forward to hearing from you.
Jason
Fabulous and unique idea! Do you get to set your own price/margin for the itinerary you create? Is there a review process where people can see what others thought of the itinerary?
Would love to check in a few months later and see how some of your ‘itinerary authors’ are doing – meaning have they made any money for the time they put into it.
Good idea Sherry – Jason, if you’re up for it maybe we can do a follow up in a few months down the line…
Hi Sherry,
Thanks! Yes, you get to set your own prices for the itineraries — as for margins, the writer keeps 75%. And yes, there will be a review process to see what people thought of the itinerary, as well as hear their thoughts and/or improvements on the itinerary.
And doing a follow-up in a couple months would be great, I’d of course welcome it. 🙂
Sherry – I actually sent you and Michaela an email as well. I’d love to be able to tell your readers about UnAnchor, perhaps through a guest post, interview or any other ideas you may have.
Thanks,
Jason
Jason – yes – we are running behind on a few things – but I will be in contact with you! Just keep pinging me if I fall off the radar again!