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Indy Guide
Web development
Big data and analytics
Support and maintenance
Industry:
Travel and Tourism
About Client:
Indy Guide is a regional travel marketplace that connects international travelers with local guides, drivers, and tour operators across Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia. Operating in underrepresented destinations, the platform focuses on authentic, locally led travel experiences.
The company was founded in 2015 by Aty, a Swiss-Kazakh finance professional, and Alexandra, a marketing and communications specialist from Austria. Motivated by a shared vision to support independent tourism in emerging markets, they set out to create a solution that would increase global visibility for local travel providers and offer travelers access to curated services in remote areas.
Indy Guide operates at the intersection of travel technology and sustainable tourism, helping regional entrepreneurs grow their presence through a modern, service-oriented platform
About Project:
The Indy Guide project focused on building a custom SaaS travel booking platform that empowers local tour operators, guides, and drivers to manage their services independently. The goal was to create a centralized reservation system that supports direct bookings, secure online payments, and real-time availability — all within a scalable marketplace architecture.
The platform was designed as modular booking software tailored for underserved travel markets like Central Asia and the Caucasus, enabling providers to streamline operations, connect with global audiences, and reduce dependency on traditional travel agencies. Its flexible SaaS structure laid the foundation for automated tour management, multi-language content delivery, and transparent service promotion — critical features for sustainable growth in regional tourism
Goals and Objectives:
1
Build and deploy a scalable tour booking SaaS platform based on Laravel, MySQL, Vue.js, and Python to support real-time availability, secure data handling, and multilingual access for users across diverse markets
2
Implement secure payment integrations using Stripe and PayPal to enable safe, frictionless transactions between travelers and verified service providers
3
Establish trust and service quality through a structured host verification system, traveler reviews, and a transparent pricing model for local tour operators
4
Enable global discoverability by integrating digital marketing tools and launching outreach campaigns in collaboration with travel influencers and niche tourism media
5
Deliver a modern front-end experience with a responsive and intuitive UI built on Vue.js, optimized for booking flow efficiency and mobile-first access
6
Support local tourism professionals with technical onboarding, data-driven promotional tools, and platform analytics to help grow their services and customer base
7
Enhance operational performance via Python-based backend automation to reduce manual workload, improve processing speed, and scale administrative workflows
Solution:
To deliver a scalable custom tour booking platform, our team developed a modular SaaS system using Laravel for backend infrastructure, MySQL for structured data management, and Vue.js for a responsive and intuitive user interface. Python-based automation scripts were applied to streamline administrative operations and optimize system performance under high load.
For secure and efficient financial transactions, we integrated Stripe and PayPal, enabling both travelers and local tour operators to complete bookings using trusted payment gateways. To promote transparency and build user trust, a verified host rating system was implemented, ensuring service consistency across the platform.
The frontend was built with Vue.js, designed for a mobile-first experience with clear navigation, dynamic tour filtering, and real-time booking flows. To support location-based interaction, Google Maps API was used for destination browsing, provider discovery, and itinerary planning.
Backend automation powered by Python simplified content moderation, notifications, and data processing — reducing manual workload and enabling faster service iterations. We also ensured maintainability by building a flexible architecture ready for future enhancements, including multilingual support and analytics modules
Total Time:
2 months
Result:
The launch of Indy Guide’s custom tour booking SaaS platform transformed how regional tour operators in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Mongolia engage with a global audience. By implementing a centralized travel marketplace with secure online reservations, real-time availability tracking, and automated booking workflows, the solution replaced fragmented legacy systems and enabled direct access to curated local experiences.
The platform attracted over 2,000 certified travel providers, increasing their discoverability and allowing them to manage tours, set pricing, and receive payments via integrated gateways like Stripe and PayPal. These improvements enhanced operational efficiency and reduced friction across the booking lifecycle.
With built-in support for location services through Google Maps API and modular architecture designed for scalability, the solution improved user navigation and helped travelers make informed decisions faster. The resulting boost in conversion rates and customer satisfaction demonstrated the effectiveness of a tailored booking engine built for underserved markets.
The platform now serves as a digital infrastructure for sustainable tourism growth, empowering independent providers with the tools to scale services, optimize resources, and maintain direct relationships with international clients