This app will decide where users go on holiday

Hitlist is a social app that offers up destination ideas based on users' interests, as well the optimal time to go according to flight fares.

Searching for a holiday can often involve endless checking of multiple websites to find the best deals, as well as a mass of research to discover the best places to go. Even then it’s not guaranteed that travelers will end up catching the lowest prices or picking a location that truly matches their interests. Aiming to make holiday booking a less painful experience, Hitlist is a social app that offers up destination ideas based on users’ interests, as well the optimal time to go according to flight fares.

Available for free on the App Store and Google Play, users first create a list of possible destinations using a Tinder-style accept or reject system. The app recommends a city — along with a photo sourced from Flickr — and users can either tap ‘yes’ to add it to their list, or tap ‘no’ or ‘I’ve been there’ to disregard it. The app then makes a map of where the user has been and where they want to go, which they can compare with friends. After choosing an airport they’d like to travel from, the app then sends regular notifications with deals and discounts that match their preferred destinations, along with the dates.

As well as doing the job of finding cheap flights for travelers, the app offers social extras when users link their Facebook accounts, such as seeing which global cities their friends are in. Hitlist follows a number of platforms that are using data to make travel decisions easier for consumers, such as the Netherlands’ WaarSchijntdeZonWel.nl, which lets users now which locations are getting the best weather at the time of booking. Are there other metrics that could be taken into account to help consumers find the perfect holiday?