Experience Authentic Travel with Travelove

This week in our travel start up series we meet Katka Mikulkova from our Prague and San Francisco Chapters. Katka is the owner of Travelove and helps travellers experience a destination as if they lived there long-term with a lot of local friends. 

Who is your startup for?

Travelove is ideal for real travellers and people who never enjoyed traveling with conventional travel agencies, or don’t want to travel that way anymore. They have jobs and their time is scarce, so they appreciate having all the research and planning done for them and then going on a memorable trip full of authentic experiences just with a guidebook in hand.

What inspired you to create this startup?

My sister and I have always been avid travellers. Once we had our corporate jobs and started families, it became increasingly difficult to keep travelling the way we used to. We searched for providers that would help us plan a trip with authentic local experiences, so that we wouldn’t have to stress out about the planning. We didn’t find any such service, so we decided to start a company that would help with exactly that.

What makes your startup different from other similar startups out there?

• Travelove trips are designed by locals and are individual and self-guided.
• There’s a focus on meeting locals and doing authentic activities.
• Clients are provided with a custom-made guidebook (soon to be an app, too) with their very own personal itinerary (including maps, facts and much more)
• Families with children up to 12 are offered special family trips. The kids get their own travel journals full of little tasks to do. 
• We’re on the phone 24/7 should our clients need any assistance. We’re able to help them even if they just get lost.

Do you have any tips for new entrepreneurs who want to create a successful startup?

Be passionate and ready to give up everything for your startup. At the same time, however, don’t be blindfolded, know when your idea is not working and a pivot is necessary.

Why do you travel?

I used to travel to learn about the world, the people, the stories. I believe we can all become better people by traveling and learning – it’s the only cure against racism, xenophobia, prejudices. Now I have another great reason – I want to show the world to my children. 

As a startup, what benefits have you seen from being a part of Travel Massive?

We have profited a lot from networking with other travel professionals and like-minded people. Not only through sharing of ideas and forming partnerships, but also via finding people to work with as Trip Designers. Without Travel Massive, we wouldn’t have a Trip Designer for a trip to Rio de Janeiro! Travel Massive chapter leaders are always very knowledgeable and connected to the influencers in the travel industry and are always willing to refer us to relevant contacts. We truly appreciate that!

Travel Start-Up is a monthly series that profiles unique online travel start-ups in the Travel Massive community around the world. Connect with Katka Mikulkova and Travelove on Travel Massive, Facebook or Twitter.