Q: Justin, congratulations on the success of Local Sauce Tours. What was the thinking behind your launch back in 2018?
A: Thank you! I’m really proud of what we’ve built with Local Sauce. When I started in early 2018 with one tour a week on Airbnb Experiences, I never imagined we’d reach this scale.
I began the tours to explore the tourism industry after deciding to leave corporate law. It seemed exciting to try Airbnb’s new Experiences platform and see how a major travel brand approached the tours and activities space.
I’d recently worked with a friend on his free walking tour business in Sydney, which had closed as the free model can be tough.
I thought, ‘Why not offer small-group, affordable tours in lesser-known neighbourhoods, with a drink or coffee included?’ So, I launched with a walking tour through Pyrmont and Glebe, ending at a pub with a talking cockatoo and that was the start of our journey.
Q: There’s a lot of culturally based tourism on the market. What makes LST so different?
A: Three things: we’re young, fun and affordable. Much of cultural tourism targets wealthier, older markets, whereas most of our guests are in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
Everyone is welcome and we get an amazing mix of ages, nationalities and backgrounds on our tours, but they all book us for the same thing – we present cultural tourism in a fun, fresh and inclusive way.
Q: So for someone who hasn’t been on one of your tours, just what can they expect?
A: Whether they’re locals in Brisbane or Sydney or just visiting, guests can expect to learn a lot!
Storytelling is at the core of our tours, but it’s far from one-sided – guests will be eating, drinking, mingling and sharing stories with one another, all guided by a friendly expert who sets the pace and orchestrates the experience.
On our food tours, we ensure guests are comfortably full without feeling stuffed, while on nightlife or bar tours, they can enjoy a few great drinks without going overboard.
With a small group size of up to 12 guests, there’s also plenty of flexibility for the guide to add surprises or tailor the route and stories to suit the group.
Q: Do you find your tours appeal to Aussies or is it more the international market?
A: Around 25% of our guests are Australian, so we’re very internationally focused, but I’d love to see more locals on our tours, as they often make the best use of our recommendations and insider tips.
Our tours are designed to appeal to both Aussies and international visitors, and having a mix makes it more fun.
Aussies can share their own stories (or back us up when we talk about dropbears) and international guests are impressed that locals also join the tours – they think, ‘These guys must know their stuff!’
I always tell Aussies, ‘It’s not about being a tourist in your city – it’s about being a better local.’
Q: You’ve just opened up in Brisbane. As a native, you must be delighted to feature your home city. What are you going to show people?
A: I’m thrilled to be launching tours in Brisbane – it’s been a long time coming! The city has so much potential, with an exciting surge in new bars, restaurants and activities all over town.
We’re starting with two tours: the three-hour ‘Ultimate Brisbane Walking Tour’, which dives into the city’s history from its penal colony days to modern times, and our ‘Small Bars & Street Art Tour’, showcasing Brisbane’s top cocktail bars, hidden speakeasies and vibrant street art scene.
Q: What plans do you have for the future of LST?
A: I’d be really happy if I could just successfully juggle being in both Sydney and Brisbane!
In Sydney, we’re seeing lots of requests for private tours, including for corporate team activities and end-of-year events, so that is a big focus for me.
But I’m just enjoying training up my growing team of guides and building the LST brand as the “funnest” tours in Australia.
