Skip to our story
WhereTourgoExplore experiences

THE WHERETOURGO WAY · SINCE 2017

Great experiences
begin with trust.

Before the trail. Before the first hello. Before a memory becomes yours. There is a decision to trust the people who will take you there.

The story behind our seals
Travelers looking out over Costa Rica’s forest-lined coastLocal experiences.
Lasting memories.
01 / OUR WHY

A destination is a place.
An experience is a connection.

For one person, a day away.
For another, a life’s work.

Before discovering a waterfall, walking through a forest or getting to know a community, we place our trust in someone. We trust that they will welcome us. That the experience we read about is the one we will live. That behind a reservation are people who know the place, have prepared for our arrival and will be there when we need them.

For a traveler, it might be a single day of a long-awaited holiday. For the person welcoming them, it might represent years of learning, a family business or a deep connection to the place they call home.

WhereTourgo was born to bring those two worlds closer.

It started with an idea in 2017.

Our story began with a belief that still guides us: discovering a destination should connect us with the people who bring it to life.

A destination is more than a pin on a map. It is the guide who recognizes the sounds of the forest. The family sharing a recipe. The person who knows when to pause and simply look. The local business turning knowledge, hospitality and care into something a visitor may remember for years.

We wanted to build a marketplace that would help people discover those experiences—and recognize the people who make them possible.

Since 2017, we have spent years developing that vision: how to connect travelers and operators, make information clearer and support a relationship that begins on a screen but comes to life in the real world.

Because the purpose is not just to make a purchase easier. It is to make the connection matter.

PURPOSE NEEDS PRACTICE

Trust needs more than
“trust us.”

Purpose and sustainability shape the way we want to grow. That means asking questions, listening carefully and knowing the difference between a promise and a practice that can be demonstrated.

Supporting local businesses and asking for clear information belong together. Our badges are designed to make two different things visible: the commitment an operator can demonstrate, and the experience travelers actually lived.

02 / TWO DISTINCT PROMISES

The people behind it.
The memories it leaves.

One seal is about verification. The other is about recognition.

WhereTourgo WTG Verified Partner seal with a green check

THE FOUNDATION / VERIFICATION

Verified Partner

Who is behind this experience?

This seal is designed to identify operators who meet WTG’s verification criteria for a defined scope and period. The review covers identity, contact details, service information and documentation applicable to the activities being assessed.

For travelers, it means looking beyond a business name to the evidence behind it. For operators, it makes visible the often-unseen preparation that happens before the first guest arrives.

A commitment to clear criteria, evidence and review—not a promise that nothing can ever go wrong.

Gold WhereTourgo Travelers Favorite WTG seal with five stars

THE RECOGNITION / REAL EXPERIENCES

Travelers Favorite

What stays with you after the journey?

Some experiences stay with us long after we return home. Travelers Favorite is designed to recognize individual experiences through verified reviews and published satisfaction and fulfillment criteria.

Its foundation must be what participants actually experienced—not a description written by WTG, an operator’s promise or an advertising purchase. Recognition requires enough eligible feedback, integrity checks and a review before it is awarded.

The five stars are part of the badge design, not a five-star rating. An award’s verification record must show the actual evaluated result and edition.

03 / A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

A small symbol.
A meaningful commitment.

01

Earned, not bought.

Our proposed rules do not allow an advertising purchase to determine who receives a badge. Recognition needs evidence, not a bigger marketing budget.

02

Reviewed, not assumed.

A seal needs a defined scope and validity period. Renewal, corrections, suspension, withdrawal and appeals are part of protecting its meaning.

03

Clear, not absolute.

These are WTG distinctions—not ISO, government or sustainability certifications. They do not replace applicable permits or the information travelers should review before booking.

The details behind the promise.

Our trust program is being prepared. The documents below are version 0.1 proposals, dated September 22, 2026, pending approval and legal review. Showing these designs does not award a badge to any operator or experience.

Once active, each awarded seal must link to a record showing its scope and validity.

Questions about the program? Contact Operations ↗

Since 2017, the reason has stayed the same.

Bring people closer to experiences
that matter—and the people
who make them possible.

Local experiences. Lasting memories.