Two Queensland rugby mates are the brains behind one of the world's top new travel apps, which has grown to connect more than 350,000 users across 180 countries in less than four years.

Travello was launched in early 2015 and designed by Mark Cantoni and Ryan Hanly, who had both done a significant amount of solo travel across the world.

Mr Cantoni, from the Atherton Tablelands in far north Queensland, and Mr Hanly, from Mackay, said they found there was no easy way to meet fellow travellers in foreign destinations.

They had relied on hearing familiar accents to find fellow Australians or chance meetings in hotels to rendezvous with other travellers.

Neither had any start-up experience but both were confident they were on to a winning idea and an encounter with fellow travellers on the Gold Coast in 2014 kick-started their success.