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How to Create a Location-Based App: A Guide for Tourism, Guides & Tracking

Location-based or map-based apps have become an integral part of our digital lives, with nearly every modern mobile application utilizing user location. These apps often enhance user experience by personalizing content or providing relevant information based on a user’s position. While the concept of location-based, map-based and navigation applications has existed since the early days of the internet, their evolution has led to specialized categories, including tracking, fitness, and tourism. This article focuses on map-centric mobile apps, especially in the travel and tourism and wildlife tracking sectors.

From Global Giants to Local Gems: How Location-Based Apps Cater to Specific Audiences

Global platforms such as Google Maps, AllTrails, and TripAdvisor dominate the market. These rely heavily on public data and crowd-sourcing through user contributions like reviews, comments, and suggestions. However, such global platforms often struggle to provide high-quality, hyper-local data, such as detailed hiking trails or essential landmarks in forests. To bridge this gap, many apps integrate map layers from providers like Mapbox or country-specific services like Czechia’s Mapy.cz, renowned for their highly detailed maps.

In addition to global platforms, there are numerous apps tailored to specific destinations or niches, often curated by local entities such as regional tourism agencies, private companies, or influencers. For example, in the Czech Republic, apps like Úžasná místa (Amazing Places) and Place Hunter offer carefully curated content, guiding users to lesser-known, hidden gems instead of over-crowded tourist spots. Similarly, Park4Night provides a community-driven database for campervan enthusiasts, while CamperGuru selects the best-verified spots across Europe.

The rise of gastronomy and fine dining has also fueled a surge in location-based foodie apps, focusing on high-quality recommendations rather than sheer quantity. Such apps, often developed by experts with years of experience, provide authentic and curated content, demonstrating their value through thousands of downloads.

Screenshot of the DoKapsy od CSOB bank - an app highlighting trip suggestions, foodie events, and mobile payments for parking, offering convenience and inspiration.

Technological Foundations for Location-Based Apps: Tools and Development Approaches

When building a location-based or map-based app, your choice of technology will significantly impact its scalability, flexibility, and success. Here are the three primary approaches:

App Builders

Platforms such as AppPie and GoodBarber offer quick and affordable solutions for creating apps without requiring extensive coding skills. These tools are ideal for basic prototypes or small-scale projects, allowing users to build functional apps with drag-and-drop interfaces. However, they come with significant limitations, especially for advanced functionalities like interactive mapping, user accounts, offline capabilities, or monetization features. While these platforms can be a good starting point for testing ideas or launching simple apps, they lack the scalability and flexibility needed for more complex or high-performance applications.

Custom Development

Native development for Android and iOS provides unparalleled customization but comes with significant costs. Building a robust app using native technologies can demand hundreds or even thousands of development hours, with budgets ranging into five or even six figures. This approach is ideal for large-scale projects and requires separate teams or freelancers for iOS (using Swift) and Android (using Kotlin) development.

Semi-Custom Development: The Perfect Balance of Speed and Quality

Semi-custom development strikes an ideal balance between efficiency and high-quality app performance, offering near-native results without the extended timelines or costs of full native development. Using modern frameworks like React Native or Flutter, this approach allows developers to build apps for both iOS and Android simultaneously, significantly reducing development time while maintaining excellent functionality and user experience.

Over the years, we’ve tested numerous frameworks, from the early days of PhoneGap to Ionic. While these solutions were innovative at the time, they often struggled with certain features and consistently lagged behind the performance and polish of native apps. In recent years, however, we’ve adopted React Native, and it has transformed how we develop apps.

With React Native, the final product is virtually indistinguishable from fully native apps. The framework provides robust design systems, seamless user interfaces, and the flexibility to incorporate native code where necessary. This makes it possible to implement advanced features like background location tracking, access to health data, or other low-level functionalities.

The biggest advantage? React Native enables simultaneous development for both platforms. With an experienced team, you can deliver a polished, high-quality app in a fraction of the time it would take for native development. We’re talking about apps that earn top ratings on the App Store and Google Play, rivaling global platforms supported by massive teams of developers and designers.

An example A sleek tourism app with premium map layers, real-time data, routes, gamification, and crowdsourcing—perfect for discovering and planning outdoor adventures.

Core Features of a Location-Based App

A modern location-based or map-based app must incorporate several key features to succeed:
  • Advanced Mapping Capabilities: Support for multiple map providers (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Mapbox) and custom map layers for displaying points of interest, routes, and detailed parameters remotely managed via the cloud.
  • Remote Content Management: Modern applications often rely on web-based systems for managing content remotely. This includes geolocation data, user interface configurations, engagement settings, and marketing elements. Tools like Google Firebase Remote Config allow app administrators to modify behavior or content without requiring a new app version.
  • External Data Integration: Enhance your database with third-party data, such as weather forecasts, site occupancy, or environmental metrics like temperature, wind speed, and pollution levels. Earth Observation services like Planet, ESA , and Copernicus offer valuable data for environmental projects.
  • User Accounts and Personalization: Implement secure login options, including SSO and OAuth standards. User management must also comply with GDPR regulations, requiring consent handling and privacy safeguards.
  • Crowdsourcing: Engage your users by allowing them to contribute location data, photos, or reviews. Ensure compliance with copyright laws and implement tools to moderate and anonymize user-generated content.
  • Gamification: Reward user activity with badges, points, or advanced app features to encourage engagement.
  • Monetization: Long-term sustainability requires a solid business model. Subscription-based models with integrated payment gateways like Apple Pay or Google Pay are ideal. Thoughtful planning of pricing tiers and features is essential for retention and churn management.
  • Analytics: Track user behavior, map layer performance, and data provider costs. Focus on conversion sources to optimize your marketing efforts.
A wildlife tracking app with real-time data processing from animal transmitters, weather layers, and a powerful backend. Features include engagement tools and monetization.

The Development Process

1. Initial Planning

  • Define project goals and target audience.
  • Conduct market research to identify gaps and opportunities.
  • Develop a prototype using tools like Figma to visualize user journeys.

2. Development

  • Use a framework like React Native for semi-custom development.
  • Integrate third-party APIs for maps, weather data, and payment processing.
  • Ensure scalability and flexibility in the app’s architecture.

3. Testing and Launch

  • Perform functional, performance, and user testing to identify issues.
  • Launch the app on iOS and Android platforms.
  • Collect user feedback for future updates and improvements.

4. Maintenance and Growth

  • Regularly update the app with new features and bug fixes.
  • Monitor analytics to refine the user experience.
  • Scale the app by adding more destinations or data layers.

Additional Considerations

While we’ve covered major aspects of location-based app development, there are additional features and complexities worth mentioning:

  • Offline Functionality: Essential for users in remote areas or with limited connectivity.
  • Multilingual Support: Cater to a global audience by offering multiple language options.
  • Regional Customization: Adapt to different currencies, measurement units, and cultural expectations.
  • E-commerce Integration: Enable in-app purchases, donations, or subscriptions to enhance monetization.
Camperguru saves you time looking for the magical unforgettable experiences on your next camping holiday, on a farm or in a winery. All spots have a soul.

Conclusion

As you can see, building a location-based app is no small feat. From advanced mapping to user engagement features, remote configuration, and monetization strategies, every detail matters. This guide provides an overview of critical considerations, but even simple applications require thoughtful planning and execution.

At Mapotic, we help clients navigate this complex process by providing tailored solutions, from initial concept to full-scale development. We begin with an analysis of project goals, followed by rapid prototyping in Figma. If needed, we create in-depth studies that outline architecture, third-party integrations, long-term sustainability, and cost projections.

If you’re ready to bring your vision to life, reach out to us to discuss your project.

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