Enter AnyRoad.

AnyRoad is a travel startup that connects travelers with tour opportunities from local guides. The site features a selection of curated tours that offer a more authentic alternative to guidebooks and organized group excursions. Many of the tours center around niche interests, like food and drink or the great outdoors, and provide independent tour guides with a platform to reach a wider audience.

The company was founded by brothers Jonathan and Daniel Yaffe who said they are trying to do for the travel industry what Etsy did for crafts.

“This is the future of tourism,” Jonathan said during an interview. “We are enabling local tour guides to give the tours they want to give. They are already doing this, but many do not have the resources or distribution to set up their business and make money online.We are not trying to disrupt the industry, we are trying to modernize it and by doing so, democratize the space.”

The Yaffes found the inspiration for AnyRoad while on a trip to China. They were visiting the Great Wall and found themselves mired in a horde of other tourists, with a KFC in plain sight. Not wanting to see the Wall under these conditions, the Yaffes set off to find a different view point. They befriended a local named Mr. Chu who spoke no English, but took the brothers to his rural village where they could see an unobstructed view, free from the scent of fried chicken. They say Mr. Chu was really the first AnyRoad guide, and set out to build a system where people with expertise and knowledge could effectively market themselves to travelers.

Like the Great Wall, the travel sector is a crowded and fragmented space with a lot of players jockeying for growth. There are the big guys like Expedia, TripAdvisor and Viator, as well as startups like Vayable, Peek, and GetYourGuide, not to mention the likes of TripIt and Schemer which are all dedicated to helping you find stuff to do. AnyRoad fits in that middle space between formal, organized, mass-market tours, and peer-to-peer interactions, and is committed to working with local professionals, rather than international tour companies or amateurs.

One of the major problems travel startups face is building up the critical mass of tour guides and travelers on both sides of the marketplace. AnyRoad is overcoming this obstacle by forming large scale partnerships and approaching the problem from the “top-down.”

“The world would be a better place if the tourism industry supported local tour guides and local communities and governments agree with us,” Jonathan said. “We want to be the glue in-between governments, guides, agencies and travelers. We are setting up huge partnerships with governments, guide associations, and ministries of tourism to support these communities and economies.”

The business is three-pronged. There is the consumer facing marketplace where AnyRoad charges a 5.5% booking fee to tourists. Then there is the enterprise side, where guides can use AnyRoad’s CRM and CMS to build up a personal web page, connect with the right audience, and manage their communications and bookings. The service is free and AnyRoad only charges a commission if it brings in business for the guides, for example by connecting attendees at a large convention. Any tours the guides book on their own are fee-free. According to Daniel, this is “pretty revolutionary” because it puts revenue directly in the hands of the guides and enables them to operate independently without dealing with commission structures.

AnyRoad launched in beta last month in six cities- San Francisco, New York, London, Rio, Israel, and Tokyo. The company is currently in discussions with the governments of Turkey and Greece to make the platform available in those markets and localize the tourism industry, so the destination country reaps the benefits instead of international tourism companies. The Yaffes further emphasize their commitment to responsible traveling by donating to a nonprofit of the guides’ choosing.

While connecting travelers with chances to sample wine on Israeli vineyards, surf in Rio, and explore traditional Japanese architecture is a valuable service in itself, the greater opportunity is in empowering local tour guides to run and sustain a business online.

AnyRoad is based in San Francisco, California.

At home

The afternoon of Dec. 31 varies greatly depending on your game plan. If it involves snuggling on the couch with takeout and television, I won’t stick my nose in and complicate the matter. But if after two hours of Kathy Griffin and chicken chow main you’re feeling restless, I suggest a round of dance video games. This way, you can stay entertained, get in your token dance moves, and remain as much of a hermit as your heart desires. Dance Dance Revolution, Just Dance, and Dance Central are all good options.

For those looking to use their evening productively, DIY community Instructables offers fun projects to occupy the hours and make them more festive. My favorite is BaR2D2. This mobile robotic bar includes a motorized beer elevator, ice mixer drawer, six-bottle shot dispenser, and computerized drink mixer. For those feeling less ambitious, check out this how-to guide for LED throwies. It is a fun, at-home, and inexpensive way to jazz up your space without the frustration of confetti. All you need are diffused LEDs, lithium batteries, and tape. The Huffington Post also published a great guide to NYE crafts to add a little sparkle and flair to any gathering, large or small.

Party preparations

For those of you planning to be around other people, chances are you will need some sort of a party ensemble. My preferences lean toward excessive amount of shimmer, sparkle, sequins. If you are looking for style inspiration, online lifestyle publication DailyCandy offers a dazzling array of fashion and beauty tips to keep you looking glamorous all night long. I also like the outfits on the Asos Fashion Finder (for both men and women) and, of course, Pinterest. Before the festivities begin, get feedback on your outfit on Fashism. Users post a photo of what they are wearing, ask a question, and people in their social network can “love it,” “leave it,” or offer a comment.

If you are throwing the one throwing a party, a bevy of apps can help with the planning process. Simple Soiree makes it easy to plan a party from your iPhone, with tools to manage guest and shopping lists, menus, decor, and entertainment and any other To-Dos. Pocket Cocktails apps include a thorough mixology guide complete with images, recipes, and tips. Home bartenders can search by category and collect favorite drinks for easy reference. Looking for guidance on holiday party fare? Check out the Epicurious guide to New Year’s Eve. It has articles for everything from a family-friendly feast to dishes to pair with sparkling wine.

Heading out on the town

If you are an energetic soul braving the New Year’s crowds, you will probably want to have an intended destination. I am all for going with the flow, but on New Year’s, that attitude can often result in standing outside a club trying to convince the bouncer to let you in at midnight and giving him a hug at midnight. This is not fun. Trust me. If you haven’t made your plans in advance and are looking for an event at the last minute, Eventful offers a comprehensive events guide to local nightlife, entertainment, concerts, and venues. If you are simply looking for a cool bar or restaurant nearby, Facebook’s new “Nearby” feature is a quick and easy way to discover businesses with your friends’ seal of approval, as is Foursquare.

Nothing can ruin New Year’s Eve like making bad choices, so it is important that while out cheering and toasting, you make sure the good times stay good. It is easy at house parties and open bars to lose track of how many drinks you have had. DrinkTracker is an iPhone app that lets you keep a record of what you have been drinking, and it uses personal information from your profile to estimate your blood alcohol content. DrinkTracker automatically compares your alcohol intake and metabolic removal rate to keep your BAC current and will let you know when you have reached your “target.”

Oftentimes, the things one does whilse inebriated can have longer lasting effects than a headache. Thus apps like Drunk Blocker and Textalyzer are useful, because they prevent communication under-the-influence. Revelers create their black list of contacts and the app won’t let you drink and text.

Midnight

New Year’s just wouldn’t be New Year’s without the festivities in Times Square. The Times Square Official New Year’s Eve Ball app for iPhone and Android lets people join in the fun at a comfortable distance. The app features live video streaming of the activities, including the official show’s opening ceremonies, musical performances, celebrity appearances, the countdown, and the midnight Ball Drop. Users can also access content about the history of the celebration, send e-cards, and share photos. Once the ball has dropped and it is time to party like its 2013, revelers can celebrate with this Champagne Popper app from Maxim. Before the chaos ensues, you can preload a message and choose contacts, who will receive a greeting from you at midnight. It lets you spend more time drinking actual champagne and kissing, and less time texting everyone you know at 12:01 a.m.

Getting home

At the end of the night, once you have downed a few flutes of champagne, sung “Auld Lang Syne,” and hopefully received some sort of New Year’s Eve love whether it be real or digital, it is important to get home safe. Check out VentureBeat writer Christina Farr’s guide to technology that gets you home safely.

Happy 2013 everyone!