Launched two weeks ago on the Android and iOS app stores, The Pub Crawl Pages is rapidly gaining traction from young, tech savvy adventurers looking to spend a great night out. The app is the only definitive global pub crawl directory – allowing users to locate pub crawl companies in various cities around the world with updated information on pricing and features. Users also get special offers, discounts, and freebies at particular crawls by using the app.
The app also allows users to rate and review pub crawls based on their experiences, filter pub crawls by day of the week, integrate the app with Google maps so they don’t get lost bar-hopping, and navigate straight through to the pub crawl company’s website for payments and further information.
While the term “pub crawl” originated in England early in the 20th century, the activity has become popular worldwide in recent years. People are not only bar hopping on special occasions, but also for social causes. Two years ago, Aussie entrepreneur and avid traveller, Adrian Bauk, decided to leverage this growing trend.
He came up with the idea for a mobile pub crawl directory years ago during a vacation in Europe. He loved the idea of orbiting various pubs, taverns and other drinking locations within walking distance of one another, and meeting like-minded people in the process. But when trying to find locations where pub crawls operate, he would only get lost in the clutter of the web. Sites like Trip Advisor and What’s On feature all activities available in any given city in Australia – making it difficult to navigate.
And like many other entrepreneurs, Bauk thought ‘why not create a solution rather than wait for one?’ After he decided on the idea, he engaged with a creative site design company who were able to put together the aesthetic elements of the app; and once the design ticked all the boxes, Bauk outsourced the development to a company in India, called MSP Group, who were able to build the app from the ground up perfectly.
“Outsourcing the app was the best option because it was cheaper, than if I approached someone closer to home. They produced the app to look and function exactly how I wanted it to, and the speed of delivery was great. I only had to pay after they hit each milestone in the development process, so there weren’t any upfront fees,” says Bauk.
He believes the app has the potential to stop pubs and taverns having to spend money on street promotion activities. For instance, rather than hiring someone to hold up a huge flag or sign board on the street, they can use the app as a marketing tool to reach the right demographic – young, tech-savvy backpackers wanting to have a fun night out, or those looking to celebrate a special occasion.
The best aspect of The Pub Crawl Pages is the special offers, discounts and freebies you can redeem for using the app. You pay $0.99 to download the app, but then you can get $5 discounts on drinks, or get a free cocktail worth $10, to name a few.
There are currently over 100 pub crawls on the app, with the list growing on a daily basis. Bauk admits, however, that getting companies on board was a challenge.
“They want exclusivity and don’t want to be featured on the same place as their competitors,” he says.
To remove barrier to entry, Bauk does not charge venues for listing themselves on the app unless they’re selling tickets – in which case, he will take 10 percent of the ticket proceedings. The only prerequisite is to place The Pub Crawl Pages’ advertising banner on the company’s website and Facebook page.
Aside from social media engagement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Bauk will be developing posters to send out to hostels around the country to spread the word. He will also be adding a ‘refer a friend’ option to the app so it inherently markets itself, along with other features to enhance user experience.
Bauk’s great achievement with this venture is taking that very first step. He says having the courage to spend money from his own hip pocket to pursue the idea and see it come into fruition is what he’s most proud of.
“It was a long and tiresome process, but worthwhile. It’s a great feeling seeing people download the app everyday,” says Bauk.
If The Pub Crawl Pages proves to be a success, Bauk plans on creating more apps in the future. One idea he has on his mind is a ‘walking tours’ app, given how common the activity is among tourists in Europe.
If you want to get crawling, you can download the app for $0.99 via Google Play and the Apple App Store.
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