You’re sitting in a cafe in Lisbon. You know there are probably other travelers within walking distance who share your interests. Maybe someone who’d be up for exploring the Alfama district this afternoon. Maybe a fellow foodie looking for a dinner companion.
But how would you find them?
That’s what Live ConneXions solves.
What Is Live ConneXions?
Live ConneXions is an opt-in discovery feature in the Sorom mobile app. When you start a session, you appear on an interactive map at an approximate location, alongside other travelers who are also in active sessions nearby. You can see their profiles, compatibility scores, and what they’re interested in. They can see yours.
Think of it as a temporary, opt-in way to discover who’s around you right now.
How It Works
- Start a session. Choose a duration from the options currently available to your plan
- Appear on the map. Your profile becomes visible to other active travelers nearby, always at an approximate location
- Browse nearby travelers. Tap a profile pin to see who is in your general area, along with compatibility scores, travel interests, and a brief bio
- Connect. Send a ConneXion request to anyone who looks interesting
- Session auto-expires. When your time is up, you disappear from the map automatically
You can end a session early. The session is designed to expire after its selected duration; review your visibility settings before starting another one.
Compatibility at a Glance
Live ConneXions isn’t just about proximity. Each traveler you see on the map comes with a compatibility score based on Sorom’s personality-based matching algorithm. You can quickly see:
- Overall compatibility percentage on their map pin
- Profile preview card with their travel style, interests, and a quick bio
- Verification badges showing verified travelers
Use those details to start a conversation with potential companions. A compatibility score reflects profile information; it does not guarantee that you will enjoy a meeting or travel well together.
Session Durations
Check the mobile app for the session durations available to your current plan. Choose the shortest duration that fits your intended meetup, and end the session when you no longer want to appear.
Longer sessions are useful when you’re spending a full afternoon or evening somewhere and want to stay discoverable. Shorter sessions work great for quick coffee meetups or checking who’s around before heading out.
Safety-First Design
We designed Live ConneXions with safety as the foundation, not an afterthought:
Approximate map locations. The map uses an approximate position to reduce location precision. Approximation does not guarantee anonymity: your profile, photos, messages or a small venue can still reveal where you are. Share only what you are comfortable making visible.
Opt-in sessions. Starting a Live ConneXions session makes your approximate location available through that feature. Other location features, such as safety check-ins, have their own controls. Review your device permissions and the app’s privacy settings.
Time-limited. Every session has a set duration. When it expires, your approximate location is no longer visible. End a session explicitly when you want to stop earlier, and review other location-sharing controls separately.
Auto-expiry. Closing the app does not end a session immediately. Its configured expiry still applies; end it explicitly if you want to stop sharing sooner.
Blocking. Blocking restricts discovery and contact through the account you block. It cannot prevent someone from seeing information already copied or using another account; report concerning behavior and take appropriate precautions.
Review visibility before sharing. Check who can see your session and profile in the current mobile app. The desktop/tablet web app provides limited ConneXions previews; it does not start a live location-sharing session.
When to Use Live ConneXions
Arriving somewhere new. Just landed in Bangkok? Start a session and see who else is exploring the city right now.
Looking for dinner company. Solo dinner gets old. Start a session near a restaurant district and find a compatible traveler who’s also looking for company.
Exploring a neighborhood. Wandering through Shibuya? See if there’s a fellow traveler nearby who wants to explore together.
At a popular spot. Check whether any travelers are active nearby; availability varies by place and time.
Hostel or coworking space. Start a session at your hostel to discover other Sorom travelers staying nearby.
Extended Sessions for Subscribers
If your current plan includes longer sessions, consider whether you want to remain visible during activities such as:
- You’re spending a full day in a touristy area
- You’re at a multi-hour event or festival
- You want to stay discoverable during an evening out
- You’re at a popular traveler hub and want maximum connection opportunities
The Spontaneous Travel Moments
Some of the best travel memories happen by accident. The random conversation that turns into an all-day adventure. The travel companion you meet at a viewpoint who becomes a lifelong friend.
Live ConneXions doesn’t replace those spontaneous moments. It creates more opportunities for them. By showing you compatible travelers who are right there, right now, it turns “what if” into “let’s go.”
Try It
Next time you’re traveling and curious who else is around, start a Live ConneXions session. You might be surprised at who’s just around the corner. (New to this? Start with our guide on how to find travel companions.)
Download Sorom and discover travelers near you with Live ConneXions.
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