Citywalks World

What Citywalks World does

Citywalks World (legally Citywalksz Limited) is a Napier, New Zealand-based private company founded in 2011 that operates a self-guided audio walking tour platform for independent travelers. The company sells downloadable, GPS-narrated walking tours covering 87+ destinations across Europe, Asia, Australia/Oceania, and the Americas, with the About page claiming development work toward 130 worldwide destinations. Each tour combines location-specific cultural and historical storytelling recorded by professional voice actors, delivered as a digital product accessible either through the company's website or via dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications.

The underlying technology is a relatively conventional GPS-triggered audio playback system with offline support once a tour is downloaded; the company offers no public API, no documented AI/ML components, and no third-party integrations. Content production is handled by an international team of authors, journalists, historians, travel bloggers and voice-over artists, with Directors Toro Waaka and Bonny Hatami leading the business. The company appears to be bootstrapped with no external institutional capital beyond a NZ$12,247 Callaghan Innovation grant received in August 2021.

Revenue is generated entirely through one-time purchases of individual city tours at a flat $19.99 USD price point, distributed direct-to-consumer via a Shopify-hosted storefront and the Apple/Google app stores. Marketing is content-led, relying on the Citywalks Journal blog, organic social media (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram), and an email newsletter. The customer base is horizontally segmented across independent travelers and vacation planners in over 30 countries, with no enterprise or B2B contracts, resulting in a long-tail, low-concentration revenue model.

Name

Citywalks World

Legal name

Citywalksz Limited

Website

https://citywalksworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Audio Tour Apps

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJAAAA

Walking City Tours (Highlights & Orientation)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Guided Tours (City, Cultural & Historical)

SECONDARYTHAJAAAJ

Neighborhood & Local Life Tours (Communities & Hidden Gems)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Guided Tours (City, Cultural & Historical)

Keywords

• Audio walking tours
• Self-guided city tours
• Travel audio guides
• GPS walking tours
• City tour app

Headquarters

HQ city

Napier

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Audio Tour Sales: Citywalks World generates revenue through one-time purchases of digital audio tour products. Customers pay a flat fee per tour to download and access audio content with GPS navigation for specific cities or regions. Tours are sold as digital products with no physical goods involved.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Citywalks World develops and sells self-guided audio walking tours delivered through a mobile application (iOS and Android) and direct website downloads. Each tour combines GPS navigation, professionally narrated cultural and historical storytelling, and synchronized maps, allowing independent travelers to explore cities at their own pace. The company sells digital tour products at a flat one-time price per destination across 130+ worldwide locations in Europe, Asia, Australia/Oceania, and the Americas.

Product overview

Citywalks World is a self-guided audio walking tour platform offering downloadable tours for destinations across Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The product portfolio consists of a mobile application (available on iOS and Android) and individual city-specific audio tour products that can also be purchased and downloaded directly through the website. Each tour combines GPS navigation, local insights, and cultural storytelling at a consistent price point of $19.99 per destination. The core product enables travelers to explore cities at their own pace with audio guidance, maps, and historical information accessible on their smartphone.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Citywalks World Mobile App

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• VoiceMap: VoiceMap is the leading direct competitor — a global platform selling self-guided GPS audio tours for cities worldwide via mobile apps. Closely comparable business model, pricing structure, and target customer (independent travelers seeking curated audio walking experiences).
• izi.TRAVEL: izi.TRAVEL is a free and paid self-guided audio tour app offering city walking tours, museum guides, and attraction stories across hundreds of cities. Directly comparable in format (GPS audio tours via mobile app), with significantly larger catalog and museum/municipal partnerships.
• STQRY (Stqry): STQRY provides a self-guided audio tour app platform used by cultural institutions and tour operators to deliver location-based storytelling. Closely comparable in mobile audio tour delivery and GPS-driven narrative format, with overlap in the museum/landmark tour category.
• Rick Steves' Audio Europe: Rick Steves' Audio Europe offers free self-guided audio walking tours for European cities, branded under the well-known travel personality. Comparable in product format (walking audio tours for European cities) and target traveler, though distributed as a free app within the Rick Steves ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Viator (TripAdvisor): Viator is the largest tours and activities marketplace globally, listing self-guided audio tours, walking tours, and attractions. Comparable as a broad incumbent that competes for the same traveler attention and serves as a potential B2B distribution partner.
• Context Travel: Context Travel offers expert-led small group walking tours focused on history, art, and architecture in major cities. Comparable target customer (culturally curious independent travelers) and overlapping content themes, though delivered via guided rather than self-guided format.
• GetYourGuide: GetYourGuide is a major tours and activities marketplace that now lists self-guided audio tours alongside guided experiences. Comparable as an indirect competitor and potential distribution channel — Citywalks tours could be listed on GetYourGuide's marketplace.
• Withlocals: Withlocals is a marketplace for private tours and experiences hosted by local guides in cities worldwide. Comparable in serving culturally curious independent travelers seeking flexible, expert-led city experiences, though the delivery model is guide-led rather than self-guided audio.

Regional players

• Free Tours by Foot: Free Tours by Foot operates pay-what-you-wish walking tours across multiple US and European cities, often publishing self-guided itineraries as a free alternative. Comparable in walking-tour content and city coverage, with a free-tier positioning that competes on price.
• Strawberry Tours: Strawberry Tours operates free walking tours in major European cities with paid upgrades, offering a hybrid free/paid model. Comparable in walking-tour focus and European city coverage, with a different (free-tip-based) monetization approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/citywalksworld
• Facebookfacebook.com/citywalksworld
• Instagraminstagram.com/citywalksworld

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Citywalks World