Feature Request: New Place, New Country - Learn it like a local

[#1]

Summary

Add a new section of local how to tips to make national and international travel easier at the city level. Some content maybe universal to a country (e.g. tipping or smoking and the law in the UK). Some is city based e.g. You cannot buy a ticket on a London Bus you have to use smart card.

Content is shown in country and city based things to do section but with a new heading. Content may also be time specific, e.g. demonstrations, planned industrial action, natural disasters. At present my feature request is only for a new section and a manner which to introduce text and rich media.

Benefit

Knowing local things before and while you travel makes you travel smart. It lessens stress. I see it like an up to date Lonely Planet, but which gets updated quicker. It’s also a very green way of having a one stop shop of helpful and consistently updated tips. 

For locals, smarter tourists forms a better opinion of non locals. For non locals, their trip is made stress free and easier. It makes a savvy traveler who can travel easier. 

For local guides, people can shine with their local expertise. Knowing how to ask for gluten free, vegan food, recognising signs and foods which mean they can point to a food (but they do not understand the text). For hikers, they can explain legal rights of way, what signs mean etc.

TIme specific content says  if there are massive demonstration, natural disasters, unplanned roadworks etc or that restrict travel.

Situation

Google maps is a brilliant app showing places and with your calendar, things that are happening where and when. Every country has certain norms. Imagine if you were planning a trip and even being fluent in a language does not mean you know the culture. 

Examples include buying transport tickets. In some countries you must not only buy a ticket, but validate it - for example Germany. In London, UK you cannot travel on a bus using cash, it is only a smart card. In Japan there are female only carriages etc. 

FURTHER INFORMATION 09/01/19

There are 4 options where it could appear. 

OPTION 1: Appears as a button in the top section

OPTION 2: Above lists

OPTION 3: Under Lists

OPTION 4: Or here. But I think it will be forgotten

WHEREEVER YOU'VE PRESSED TO GET HERE THERE WILL BE A LANDING OR A LIST PAGE LIKE OPTION 3 LISTS, OPTION 4 CATEGORIES. If you've pressed a category - e.g: Transport you goto

LEARN IT LIKE A LOCAL CATEGORY PAGE

Learn it like a local category page.

 Unlike lists, this page is a mix of photos and text, or a VIDEO with transcription.

[KhamphoutS]

Voted

Good idea @Phunky 

[JaneBurunina]

Great idea @Phunky ! When I am planning to travel to a new place, I book tickets and hotels (use GoogleMaps app) and also I read the trevelers' blogs to note about the local cuisine, etiquette and some specific features in this country. We can use Google Maps not only to plan routes and to find accommodation and also to search local specialities and tricks. It helps to make trips less expensive and more comfortable. I vote!

[sonnyNg]

Hi @Phunky,

Thanks for sharing your idea with us!

Regarding the proposed suggestion, Local Guides would be able to add as well as to review others content, correct? Please do not hesitate to correct my thoughts.

It is quite in depth of your description, it could even be better if it would have an additional explanation visually. In this case, if you may perhaps provide a screenshot of the step you think the feature could be implemented in.

[ErmesT]

It is nice to see how our minds are synchronised @Phunky.

I wrote about the same idea (but related to posting in Connect) one year ago, detailing the informations needed for a traveller: Traveling Like a Local.

Feel free to take ispiration for detailing more your proposal, as indicated by @sonnyNg

[Phunky]

@sonnyNg I've added sufficient screenshots for navigation plus an imagined mashup of a finished page. I hope this can give you a better idea of what I am suggesting. There are 4 ways to navigate from most likely to be interacted to least likely. These are options 1-4 in my re-edited post above. 

From @ErmesT I liked your post. Mine is essentially GUI and Navigation request be an extension of yours. It takes a new input category from here so it gets published to the correct section in Maps.

Note to Google Admins: I am aware adding another 'post in localguideconnect.com and it is published in Maps is another feature request. I didn't want to specify at this stage how I see it being is done as I don't want this post closed yet 😄

Thanks @JaneBurunina and @KhamphoutS for your vote 😄

[sonnyNg]

Hi @Phunky,

Thank you kindly for the extended explanation.

Much appreciated from @ErmesT and @JaneBurunina, I think the community would have the big picture after such thorough details.

From this point, the other Local Guides may proceed to leave their votes to show support.

[sonnyNg]

Hi @Phunky,

It is appreciated for the suggestion, once again! : ]

As for the moment, due to inability to have the idea implemented in time, the status of the post would be changed accordingly.