They say there’s an app for everything. From working out your body to managing your finances, you can pretty much do it all from your mobile phone.
Now, if you need an additional incentive to get out and see the world, there’s WalkABit. Users get rewards in cryptocurrency or fiat for visiting some of the most beautiful places in the world and businesses get foot traffic to their doors. Win-win.
WalkABit is on a mission to connect businesses and customers
The WalkABit app aims to create a world in which everyone wins. Users get rewarded for travelling and businesses get paying customers within their reach.
The WalkABit app is especially suitable for travellers who are unfamiliar with the best places to visit. They can even search the app and help plan their trip before they go, knowing that they will earn rewards simply for showing up.
WalkABit claims to help users by indicating the key destinations to visit as well as giving them deals at participating local businesses. This helps travellers see the best of each place they visit while keeping costs to a minimum. They also receive rewards in cryptocurrency or fiat money (euros, dollars, or pounds) depending on their preference.
Local businesses benefit from the foot traffic and reward WalkABit by taking part in a revenue share model. This means, according to the company, that “when you earn, we all earn”. Customers get cashback, businesses make sales, and WalkABit takes a percentage of revenue.
The app also claims to contribute to sustainable tourism and wants to help grow the industry in an environmentally friendly way.
How does the WalkABit app work?
According to its website, earning rewards is easy. You simply open up the app and find a pin in a sightseeing spot. You click on the pin, answer a simple question about your surroundings to prove that you are actually there, and earn your rewards (if you answer correctly).
Getting cashback from goods and services you buy works slightly differently. Users need to open up a different section of the app, select the business they want to make a purchase from, let the cashier know that they have the WalkABit app, pay, click “cashback”, and scan a QR code.
To redeem their cash, users must go to their in-app wallet and request to withdraw funds. Here they have the choice of withdrawing to a cryptocurrency wallet or their current account – whichever they prefer.
WalkABit needs to grow a bit first
While WalkABit is a nice idea, there is a long way to go before finding out how successful the app will be. Currently, the company has amassed just a handful of partner businesses and destinations, with around 20 bars and businesses and about the same number of landmarks and museums.
Moreover, they are currently all in Barcelona. If you happen to find yourself in the beautiful baroque Spanish city, WalkABit may be worth a try, but if you’re going anywhere else, it’s a bit premature to download it just yet.
However, just as every journey begins with a single step, the WalkABit app is beginning to grow its network. Users may not have too many options available to them right now, but who knows how popular an app that rewards people for visiting places could be.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author should not be considered as financial advice. We do not give advice on financial products.