Consumer apps all the rage at the Web Summit

The travel industry will no longer be about selling hotels and flights, but rather about selling experiences, according to the chief executive of Ub-Cool (ub-cool.com).

Medina Ilyassova, from the Dubai-based company, said it was the first of its kind to link adventure providers from all over the world.

Users can search for experiences such as kayaking, climbing, winter adventures or desert adventures and compare the cost and location of them in a single search. They can then book directly and leave reviews on the site using Tripadvisor, which has given Ub-Cool permission to use its tools and branding.

Ilyassova says the site already lists 60 destinations and 500 adventure providers. For the first year, membership is free for the providers and there is no registration fee for users. The company plans in the future to take a commission from each transaction once it becomes more established.

Other attendees focusing on travel and adventure include Wanderlust (ilovewanderlust.com), an app that allows people share and record their travel experiences and memories.

App developers at the summit are, in the main, targeting the ordinary consumer based on location and other personal data and linking advertisers and other businesses to consumers via their devices.

There is a proliferation of apps to let people find restaurants, pubs and clubs and other services - but most of them appear no different to those that have gone before.

An app called Wardrobe (from Italy) allows users collate images of, literally, the clothes in their wardrobe. It uses location data to find shops nearby the user might be interested in - the revenue model is driven by advertising from those stores.

Also in fashion, the Irish app offered by Maven46. com, describes itself as an interactive magazine featuring "uniquely curated shoppable content from the best of fashion, beauty and lifestyle".

For wine enthusiasts, Wineist. com brings the wine tasting experience to your home or office. For a subscription fee, the company will deliver six 50ml samples once a month.