The problem Native Vibes solves

Are you tired of going to the same touristy spots every time you travel? Do you want to explore the hidden gems of India that only locals know about? If your answer is yes, then our project, Travel Companion, is the perfect solution for you!

Travel Companion is a tourism 2.0 project that aims to promote local employment and connect tourists with locals in India. Our portal allows both tourists and locals to register and interact with each other. When a tourist registers on our website, they have two options - to explore incredible India or recommend a place based on a text-based query.

If you choose to explore incredible India, we provide you with options like temples, beaches, mountains, and more. Our recommendation system uses a powerful NLP model that we created using web scraping in Python and cosine similarity algorithm. This ensures that you get the best recommendations for your trip.

If you want to recommend a place based on a text-based query, all you have to do is enter your query in the textbox and specify the number of recommendations you want. Our NLP model will do the rest and provide you with personalized recommendations.

We also have a language selector that allows users to choose from a variety of languages, making the website accessible to everyone. Our blog section lets tourists share their experiences and learn from each other.

To make your experience even more seamless, we have included a chatbot that is trained to answer some common questions about our portal. With Travel Companion, you can make the most of your travels in India and support the local community. Join us today!

Challenges we ran into

Preparation of Dataset: To implement any NLP-based solution, a substantial amount of data is required to train the models accurately. In the case of a website that connects tourists and locals, this may involve collecting and curating data related to local attractions, tourist hotspots, events, and activities in the region. It may also involve collecting data related to local customs, cultures, and traditions that can help tourists better understand the local way of life. Gathering, organizing, and cleaning such data can be time-consuming and challenging.

Implementing NLP: Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a key technology that can help websites connect tourists and locals. However, implementing NLP can be complex and require significant technical expertise. The development team may need to use a combination of tools, such as Python, machine learning libraries, and cloud-based services, to implement the NLP-based solutions. Additionally, designing and training NLP models that accurately understand user intent and can provide relevant recommendations can be challenging.

Building User Trust: As with any platform that connects users, building trust is essential. The website needs to ensure that the recommendations provided to tourists are accurate, relevant, and up-to-date. To do this, the website may need to invest in developing a robust content moderation system to verify the authenticity of the information provided by locals. Additionally, the website may need to ensure that the locals who register on the platform are trustworthy and have the necessary expertise to provide recommendations to tourists.

Ensuring Scalability: As the website gains popularity and attracts more users, it must be able to handle the increased traffic and usage.