COOL COUSIN: PROVIDING A COOL TRAVEL SOLUTION
Movement. As one of the main characteristics of humans, movement is an inevitable part of human endeavour that must be catered for, hence the various means provided for its efficiency. In our world today, however, we see much more than movement. We see migration and travel of all sort to see new places and to meet new people all in a bid to share the human experience. In all of this beauty, however, lies a common problem that most travellers have long endured and longed for a change somehow.
PITFALLS OF MODERN TRAVEL AGENCIES
Over the years, our world has seen a tremendous transformation by the influx of technology. The effect of technology can be seen in virtually every core part of the society. Particularly important and interesting is the difference it has made in the travel industry. Quite unlike the past when the travel industry had such minimal effect on the economy and which was a solo event and which could often prove to be tedious, the travel industry is now a multi-trillion dollar industry, contributing as much as 10% to the total GDP of the world. With a host of information available on the internet, coupled with the increasing number of travel agencies and companies to manage and organise an individual’s travel arrangements, the travel industry seems to be well set.
However, even with the variety of information available on the internet, most travellers still encounter problems while travelling with many complaining about the inaccuracy, lack of precision and in extreme cases, dishonesty of the information provided on the internet about their prospective destination. This has of course led to major disappointments and most times leaving travellers with awful travel experience. Rather than focus on a traveller’s maximum satisfaction, most travel platforms are more focused on the profit they would make in the long run. In effect, most travellers spent a lot of time and money in ensuring that they have the most accurate information about their prospective destination. Many travellers have therefore employed the aid of travel agencies to ensure a pleasant travel. For those that are quite lucky, they could contact their family and friends that live in their preferred destination and get the right information. Looking at the issue, it would be quite beneficial if travellers could have access to a relative or friend in every possible city in the world to provide just that right information needed to make the travel a success. Since it is impossible to have relatives in all cities of the world, Cool Cousin provided a means that clearly satisfies this need.
WHAT COOL COUSIN DOES
Established in the middle of 2016, Cool Cousin which is a decentralised blockchain based platform, directly links travellers to locals in different cities all over the world. The locals, called Cousins, therefore serve as the relatives to the traveller, providing information about the area they live in, what their interests are and also give tips that would ensure a blissful stay in that area for a fee. This is in Cool Cousin’s cryptocurrency called CUZ, using the blockchain technology to ensure secure and safe payments to the locals. Through its decentralised blockchain based ecosystem, Cool Cousin is able to provide travellers, through enthusiastic cousins, honest, detailed and accurate information about the traveller’s preferred destination. With Cool Cousin, travellers not only have access to information about their preferred destination from the source, but are also able to interact with these cousins, potentially forming bonds of friendship. Therefore when you think of Cool Cousin, you should think of a decentralised blockchain based platform that connects travellers to locals with the most accurate information, providing them with a cool cousin in cities all over the world.
HOW COOL COUSIN WORKS
Locals from different cities around the world register to become cousins on the Cool Cousin platform. They then upload maps about the areas of the city that they frequent, are familiar with and which they are passionately interested in. Travellers then search for information regarding a preferred destination and are directly linked to a local matching that search. The traveller then has access to the local’s accurate knowledge of his destination. The cousin gives the traveller a step-by-step guide on how to enjoy his stay in his preferred destination. The Cool Cousin platform rewards both the traveller and the cousin. For the cousin, he is paid for providing knowledge about his area, what many would call easy money, while the traveller saves money and time he would hitherto have spent searching on the internet.
POWERED BY CUZ TOKENS
Being a blockchain based initiative and built on the Ethereum platform, the Cool Cousin ecosystem runs on its own cryptocurrency token known as CUZ tokens. Locals earn CUZ tokens for the information they provide, promoting the Cool Cousin platform, keeping an up-to-date profile, providing answers to the many questions that travellers would have and many more. These CUZ tokens are then used to facilitate transactions within the Cool Cousin ecosystem.
EVERYONE IS A COUSIN
With the Cool Cousin easy to use app and the wide level of accessibility it provides, everyone can be a cousin, providing honest information to travellers around the world and making a profit in the process. Perhaps in the future, everyone on the planet would be a cousin, providing travellers with the information they need to enjoy their stay in their preferred destination and earning CUZ tokens in the process. With this, not only would there be an almost perfect travel system provided for travellers, the locals providing the necessary information are also rewarded for their knowledge.
Written forthe originalworks sponsored writing contest. cc2018