Wisnu: Revolutionizing Tourism with Community-Based Apps

A Story of Wisnu, One of the Top 20 Product-Based Capstone Projects in Bangkit 2023 Batch 1

Tourism is crucial to the Indonesian economy, significantly contributing to foreign exchange earnings. Both nature and cultural heritage are major components that boast a unique combination of a holiday in a tropical climate experience.

A survey by Badan Pusat Statistik (BPS) or Statistics Indonesia 2023 recorded that the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia had reached 11,68 million, increasing 98,30% from 2022. However, this figure is still under the pre-COVID-19, with over 16 million foreign tourists in 2019. So, is it possible to boost that in the coming year?

Fortunately, a group of young people from Bangkit made a breakthrough by releasing Wisnu (Wisata Nusantara). This app helps tourists find well-known destinations or hidden gems to be recognized by locals and internationals.

So, who are they, and what do they make? Let’s read the whole story!

Competed Fiercely in the Incubation Program

The idea of Wisnu comes from six visionary Bangkit students. They are Rival Haikal Hafizh from Universitas Muhammadiyah Sukabumi; Adiyatma Pratama Wibisono, Muhammad Rizki Andika and Muhammad Mufid Utomo from Universitas Telkom; Nur Muhammad Himawan from Universitas Jember; and Rizaldo Setiawan from Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe.

The inspiration behind Wisnu stemmed from Indonesia’s tourism industry. The post-pandemic year (2023) witnessed a tourism revival, leading to a surge in visitor numbers. However, this growth came with its problems.

Both local and foreign tourists faced issues like fraud and extortion. A prime example was the fraudulent open trip scheme on Mount Rinjani in 2022, causing financial losses for both participants and organizers. Shortly, these issues ignited the creation of Wisnu.

Forming a cohesive team for Bangkit’s capstone project is challenging. This program isn’t just mandated teamwork but also dedication to completing the project and vying for incubation. Despite this, they persevered in developing Wisnu.

The competition in the capstone project was also fierce. Starting with 800 teams, this program whittled down the contenders through a rigorous selection process. The initial 800 teams faced a peer review stage. Only the top 50 teams advanced to the next level, where a panel of judges evaluated their projects. Finally, Wisnu became one of the Top 20 Product-Based Capstone Project teams.

“Alhamdulillah, Wisnu was one of the teams selected for incubation. We received funding and business mentorship from Bangkit,” said Rival Haikal Hafiz, CEO of Wisnu.

A Trusted App as a Travel Reference

Wisnu’s vision is to be a trusted partner for tourists who want to explore the beauty of Indonesia. Its mission includes building a travel community, connecting travelers with experienced and trusted open trip guides and organizers, and prioritizing customer safety and satisfaction.

Of course, Wisnu’s features are designed to fulfill its vision and mission. These are the primary features inside Wisnu:

Itinerary feature: Provides information and recommendations on tourist attractions in Indonesia.
Travel community: Facilitates the sharing of travel experiences and information among users.
Verified open trip guides: Wisnu verifies open trip guides and organizers to ensure the safety and reliability of their services.

For its features, Wisnu is committed to continuous improvement and adapting to the needs of its users. The team is actively working to enhance the app’s features and expand its reach. One of their efforts is using AI to maximize user experience.

“Wisnu’s AI-powered itinerary feature sets it apart from other travel apps. Users can create customized itineraries by selecting their preferences, including category, budget, ticket status, and travel type (family, group, or solo),” Rival emphasized.

So, the AI algorithm will generate a detailed itinerary with daily recommendations, and the user will consider travel distance and ensure a comprehensive and efficient experience. This helps build trust and provides valuable insights for travelers, empowering them to make informed decisions and avoid unpleasant experiences.

Getting Bigger by Collaborating

With the infusion of funds and expertise, Wisnu is undergoing further development. They even try to collaborate with verified open trip guides to ensure the safety and reliability of their services.

Wisnu is onboarding a selected group of small open trip providers who need more legal documentation and seek to build user trust. Most of these providers promote their open trips on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where it can take time to establish credibility.

Wisnu’s new features, such as ratings, reviews, and chat groups, address this challenge and enhance user trust. In addition to small providers, Wisnu has also partnered with a few medium-sized open-trip providers.

However, Wisnu is not the first travel app in Indonesia. The tourism and travel industry is saturated with apps, making it difficult to stand out. Although challenging, Wisnu tries to overcome these challenges. So, Wisnu must identify and highlight its unique features and value proposition to differentiate itself from competitors.

“Our unique selling proposition is its focus on community. While other apps focus on selling tickets and booking travel, Wisnu aims to foster a community of travelers who share their experiences and promote lesser-known destinations in Indonesia,” said Rival.

Wisnu’s tagline, “Your Travel Buddy,” reflects its commitment to providing a personalized and supportive travel experience. The app aims to offer features such as finding travel companions in a city, further enhancing its community-centric approach.

For innovation and new features, Wisnu’s development will be guided by user feedback, including travelers, open trip providers, and guides. By focusing on that, Wisnu is poised to become a valuable resource for travelers and a key player in the development of Indonesia’s tourism industry.

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