December 6, 2025

The Case for Localhotels as a Community-Driven Tourism Website, and a Call for Investors

Short History of Localhotels.com

Before explaining why Localhotels remains relevant after 26 years—and essential in the AI era—here's a brief history.

In 1991, while pursuing my master's in mechanical engineering in the US, I envisioned using the internet for travel marketing, before the web existed.

In 1992, I founded Elektronik Bilgi Bilgisayar Ltd. for e-commerce—one of the world's first. By 1995, I built local travel sites, and in 1998 launched Localhotels as a free directory for global local hotel and travel companies. Early listings included booking.nl, which later became Booking.com after acquisition.

Localhotels stayed small due to lack of initial funding. Big Tech like Expedia, Travelocity, and Booking dominated, as local firms didn't challenge Western giants amid post-Soviet shifts and China's early development.

By the mid-2000s, hotels were captive to OTAs, losing revenue to high commissions—costs passed to travelers.

In 2005, Milestone Internet listed 100 hotels for a fee, planning 1,000 more, but a leadership change halted it. I kept them free for over a decade, but without momentum, Localhotels remained conceptual.

Why Choose Local Over Global for Travel Bookings?

Localhotels enables travelers to book directly with destination-based companies, bypassing global Big Tech.

This aligns with the Multipolar World concept from Russia, China, and BRICS—applied to travel—like dedollarization in finance, reducing costly intermediaries and fostering people-to-people ties.

Today, habits favor US-based Big Tech sites, missing local alternatives. Breaking them is tough.

Direct local bookings cut costs (e.g., 20-30% commissions from Booking, sued for monopolies) and boost competition. Oligopolies like Airbnb follow suit.

Long-term, content creators could own Localhotels collectively, but initial investors are key. See Content Creators below.

Tourism in the Age of AI

AI impacts travel, but monopolies and high fees persist due to systemic issues and mindsets.

AI, a black box shaped by owners, filters options narrowly. Tests show it mixes local sites with Big Tech and affiliates.

A simple site/app listing local services expands choices, saves time, and cuts costs beyond Big Tech.

Marketing Localhotels

Content creators—video makers, writers, etc.—should market and eventually own Localhotels. See below.

Interested in development? Email biz@localhotels.com.

Content Creators: A Call for Reciprocal Partnerships

I'm inviting creators of travel/hotel content to collaborate. Send links to your videos/articles on cities/hotels; I'll feature them on relevant pages to boost your traffic. For example, see our Where to Stay in Hanoi guide as the kind of practical, experience-based content we'd love contributions for.

Start with reciprocal links: Mention Localhotels.com in your work. No formal partnerships yet—site's small (60 visitors/day, no revenue), but growth potential exists for mutual benefits.

Later, possible revenue-sharing with caps, but no promises. Honest invite: Join to build a local-focused platform. Start small!