tours get booked while the operator is asleep

most tours don't get booked during office hours.

they get booked at night. people are back at the hotel, showered, phone in hand, looking at tomorrow. that's when they decide.

and that's exactly when the operator's phone is off.

twelve years selling gear to guides and walk operators in queenstown and the booking side never changed. a whatsapp message comes in, the reply goes out next morning, "sorry mate, saturday's full, monday any good?" by then the people have booked something else. not a better trip. just the one that said yes first.

everyone thinks they lose customers on price. mostly they lose them on timing.

so the first thing i'm building isn't anything clever. it's a calendar that shows what's actually free and lets someone pay for a seat at night without waiting for a human to wake up.

boring. but that's the bit that's missing.