Contiki launches iPhone app

Contiki Holidays has announced the launched of its new iPhone app, Shout.

Shout is free to download and is the best way for passengers to connect with each other prior to, during and after their trip. The launch of Shout is just the latest in a string of digital platforms that Contiki has introduced in the past few months, preceded by The Exchange and MeetUps, and is the next logical product based on a 400% spike in iPhone traffic on the brand’s site since January 2011.

Pre-departure, guests can download the app and set up a profile to connect with other travellers before their bags are packed, through an extension of Contiki’s MeetUps tool. While on the trip, the app’s main feature is its timeline, where passengers on a specific trip can upload photos, videos and messages to share with their fellow travellers, as well as post to their individual Facebook and Twitter accounts so family and friends follow the Contiki adventure as well. No need for crazy roaming charges either – passengers can add photos and videos when offline, which will be automatically uploaded once in a Wi-Fi area and stamped with the original date and time, offering a real-time social experience. Once the trip comes to an end, the Contiki journey can continue with fellow travellers as the app can still be accessed and used as an archive of all their incredible memories.

Also included are the relevant Contiki itineraries for each traveller so they don’t have to lug around travel documents. Passengers can use the app’s travel tools to convert currencies, translate languages, check the weather and refer to city maps. Contiki also teamed up with travel experts, Lonely Planet, to provide app users with the Nearby feature – top tips on best local hotspots and hidden gems.