Travel Trends - TripAdvisor, Email, Weekend Sherpa, ChaCha

TripAdvisor - Travel review giant TripAdvisor has acquired another travel website in VirtualTourist. While VirtualTourist has a slightly different audience than TripAdvisor, the basic concept behind both sites is similar. At this point, it appears that TripAdvisor will let VirtualTourist continue on its own path. As we have stated previously on the Travel 2.0 blog, consolidation within this space has only been a matter of when, rather than if. And with so many new, niche online travel sites launching (what seems like) daily, we should continue to see further consolidation for the near future.
http://www.boston.com/

Email - A new survey from Direct Partners shows that email is the most popular form of direct response marketing. E-mail is used primarily by 35 percent of companies compared to 25 percent that use traditional direct mail and 21 percent that use promo packages, statement stuffers or freestanding inserts. Certainly not a surprise, but confirmation that you are receiving more junk mail via your inbox than your mailbox.
http://www.adweek.com/

Weekend Sherpa - Last week, I received a call from Emily at Outside Magazine for a piece about new technology / websites for travel planning. During our call, she brought two new websites to my attention, Weekend Sherpa and ChaCha. Weekend Sherpa takes a simplified look at a travel recommendation website by getting back to basics...the site is simply an email / email sign-up form to receive a weekly email about what to do in Northern California. No more, no less. Simple, easy and straight to the point.
http://www.weekendsherpa.com/

ChaCha - Again, another site that is so simple, but so useful. Send a text to the ChaCha service, receive a text answer. Near a hotel, looking for a specific restaurant or attraction, text and receive the answer. The service is meant for any question, but the applications for travel specific questions and information are very intriguing.
https://www.chacha.com/

Too Much TripAdvisor

Jim Brody, our rep at TripAdvisor, passed along this email earlier in the week. Apparently it is making the rounds at TripAdvisor HQ not because it is negative, but actually because TripAdvisor has sent our friend Bob too much business.

Behold the power of the internet. And specifically, user-generated content / reviews.

From: "Bob Wombacher, Jr."

To: hotelrelations@tripadvisor.com

Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:26:21 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern

Subject: A different kind of problem...

My name is Bob Wombacher and I am the owner of a small motel - Bashful Bob's Motel - in Page, AZ 86040. A few weeks ago you printed some glowing reviews and comments about my business. Shortly after, we began getting phone calls and inquiries and reservation requests from people, mostly French, who wanted to patronize our establishment. To say it was overwhelming is an understatement.

To date we have received nearly 400 requests for information or to apply for reservations. Unfortunately we are not equipped to handle such volume. We have a small business and, while we are happy for the help you have given us, we need to "turn off the spigot," so to speak.

The e-mails and phone calls your help has given us have resulted in over 600 reservation/nights, spread out over the next 7 months.

Is there a way to stop your reports, at least temporarily? Any suggestions you can make will be helpful in solving this problem.

You certainly do have great coverage in France.

Thanks.

Bob Wombacher

Bashful Bob's Motel
928-645-3919
P.O. Box 2990
Page, AZ 86040

www.bashfulbobsmotel.com

User-Generated Content Is Dead

The proliferation of user-generated opinions on various Web sites is increasingly being challenged.

“In short, the expert is back,” writes Newsweek.

“People are beginning to recognize that the world is too dangerous a place for faulty information," said Charlotte Beal, a consumer strategist for the Minneapolis-based research firm Iconoculture. She adds that choice fatigue and fear of bad advice are creating a "perfect storm of demand for expert information." >>Full Story

Thoughts// This type of story is the reason why I started the Travel 2.0 blog. The headline, from travel news site Travel Mole reads 'Tourists saying ‘no’ to user-generated opinions.' The 'story' goes on to quote the original Newsweek article that discusses the growing popularity of 'expert' sites. And, if you were just to read the headline and some of the article, you might think that the entire UGC trend is collapsing around us...which is not the case.

The article on Travel Mole does cite a few references of these new expert sites (BigThink.com, Mahalo and About.com), however none of them have very much relevance to the travel industry, let alone that headline. The article goes on to say pretty much nothing and probably leaves most readers even more confused about UGC than they were in the first place.

Typically, I am not this direct in an opinion, I try to give the benefit of the doubt, but it is this kind of lethargic journalism that is partially responsible for the out-of-control UGC buzz in the first place. And now you are telling me it is over?

Not so fast. No facts, no evidence, no proof that TripAdvisor has seen a X% of decline in travel reviews. Unless you have some evidence, don't make blanket statements that scare most VPs and CEOs into running down to the interactive department and ask them what happened.

Just stop it.

Now, about that Newsweek article. It is fair, but not great. True, there has been some significant growth in the 'expert' advice area with sites such as BigThink.com, but that should not come at a surprise. Everything in the online world (if not the entire world) is cyclical...constantly moving back and forth...too many vague, random opinions on which can-opener works the best, let's get some experts in here to tell us the truth.

And it should also come as no surprise that the founder of Mahalo thinks the site is a great idea. I would hope so.

Let's show a little restraint here.

Personally, I have been asking the question for a while if consumer interest in UGC will decline (see our comments from October on Will Human Laziness Burst The Web 2.0 Bubble?) . However, I think we can agree that UGC is not going away. Consumers know the power of their opinion. There is some balancing that will occur between 'amateur UGC' and 'expert UGC', but either way, user-generated content is here to stay.

So, how does a DMO fit into this puzzle? Who better to be an expert on your city, state, country, etc. than you?

Now, how do you start communicating with those consumers using UGC?

That is the real question.

Travel Trends - Google Tracking Flights, TripAdvisor

Google Including Flights In Search Results - Google gave the flying public an early Christmas present today by including flight status results within the search results. The service allows consumers to simply type in the airline and flight number into the normal Google search box and then returns the latest flight info, courtesy of flightstats.com (see example above). On a side note, how reassuring are those search results? Looking for an example for this post I searched for 'Southwest 75' at random and that video was the top result. Luckily, the video in question is just from a flight simulation game. Whew.
http://googleblog.blogspot.com

TripAdvisor Officially Launches New Design - As we reported a couple of months ago on the Interactive Trend Report, TripAdvisor has been beta-testing a new design for the popular travel review site. Over the last few days TripAdvisor made the switch-over complete and now the new design is coming up as the standard homepage for most users. While I heard a few rumblings of the site looking too similar to other OTA sites (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.), it is really just a new skin on the same content (which is a good thing). Granted, a few pieces have changed, but if you compare this new version to the previous version, a majority of the content is in the same spot. Plus, the new site includes a very addictive travel game from recent TripAdvisor acquisition TravelPod. Of course, I am a geography nerd and love anything with maps and capitals.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/

Travel Trends - Odwalla, TripAdvisor

Odwalla Loves Phoenix...and Seattle...and Boston - Natural juice company Odwalla has begun a geographic targeting campaign in several major cities, including Phoenix. The ads, promoting several healthy and fun activities such as hiking and local events, show local residents where to find Odwalla products throughout the city. Similar to previous campaigns from Bugaboo and Volkswagen, the use of local attractions and local events is an interesting twist to show residents that, in this case, Odwalla is in touch with local Phoenicians. The ads also direct to micro-sites for the cities of Seattle and Boston.
http://local.odwalla.com/phoenix/

TripAdvisor Launches New Beta Site - As reported a few posts ago, TripAdvisor has rolled out a new beta site to reflect upcoming changes to the popular travel-review portal. The site, beta.tripadvisor.com, is very similar to the recently launched U.K. version.
http://beta.tripadvisor.com/

Travel Trends - TripAdvisor, YouTube, Customer Service

TripAdvisor Shows Off New Look In U.K. - TripAdvisor U.K. rolled out a likely preview of an upcoming site refresh for the state-side travel review site. The updated site, launched in the U.K. this month, features a cleaner look and addresses some of the usage issues that have begun to affect the growing content on the site's homepage. While the new look is not guaranteed to be rolled out on TripAdvisor.com, some of the new design will surely make it's way to the site.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/

Put the YouTube video on Google Earth - Ah, good old synergy. Google announced earlier this month that users of Google Earth will now be able to upload and view YouTube videos linked to specific locations within the program. So, if you are searching Google Earth for the Tower of London, you could also watch related videos from the area around a specific location.
http://www.reuters.com/

I Heart Zappos - A fantastic story circulating online about the power of customer service and blogging. A normal woman...a writer, cook and blogger...writes a simple entry into her blog about an extremely positive experience with online shoe retailer Zappos.com. People read it, email it, pass it around...and now, if you search for the words 'I Heart Zappos' in Google, you receive 223,000 results, most of which about this story. Public relations and viral marketing that you just cannot pay for. Plus, great customer service at it's best.
http://www.zazlamarr.com/blog/

Transparency Tyranny

The non-competitive and the downright incompetent have very few stones left to hide under: never before have consumers’ purchase decisions been so strongly influenced by all kinds of transparency. In fact, TRANSPARENCY TYRANNY now rules:

"Old economy fog is clearing: no longer can incompetence, below-par performance, ignored global standards, anti-social & anti-eco behavior, or opaque pricing be obscured. In its place has come a transparent, fully informed marketplace, where producers have no excuse left to underperform. TRANSPARENCY TYRANNY for some, TRANSPARENCY TRIUMPH for others." >> Full Story

Thoughts// I read the article above a few months back but was reminded of it again by two developments last week; 1) Wal-mart's decision to allow consumer reviews online and 2) Trip Advisor's recent launch of it's traveler network.

This thoughtful article examines the impact of user generated content, customer reviews and ratings and makes some predictions about where it's going. Some of the conclusions include:

• "Sheer mass of reviews will lead to daily, and...even hourly reviews on any topic imaginable...mass postings will also unmask, outnumber and thus neutralize fake reviews."
• Ubiquitous online access from mobile devices and camera phones means reviews can be documented and posted instantly and on the spot. This also means that reviews will go "multi-media." (For a classic example, check out the story of this WAMU credit customer who documented poor call center service)
• "Star reviewers" that evangelize the brand through great reviews and recommendations could demand a "piece of the action."
• Web enabled mobile devices capable of capturing bar codes and performing an instant online/offline "price comparison" would make create ultimate price transparency.
  

Empowering consumers to share and interact with one another has been an important strategy for Travel Oregon; this spring, we sponsored the build of a travel community for Oregon that allows like-minded individuals to share/rate places; check it out at: www.GoSeeOregon.com

Read Those Review Sites Carefully

TripAdvisor is the biggest player, but many other travel sites offer consumer-based opinions and reviews about hotels and destinations. Deciding which comments to trust isn't always easy:

Consider the source: Anonymous reviews may still be the norm, but reading a poster's previous critiques, travel interests, and biographical details can help weed out phony, overly flattering comments sparked by hotel marketers or diatribes written by competitors -- and give a better sense of whether your tastes are compatible with those of the poster. Many sites provide contact information for registered users, as well. One potential warning signal: gushing or negative comments written by someone who hasn't posted any other reviews.

Size matters: As Consumer Reports notes, much travel information created by consumers "is just plain wrong," and "many reviewers are either very happy or very unhappy. The truth is probably in the middle." Sites with critical mass can help you discount the extremes. (TripAdvisor.com, the industry's 800-pound gorilla, posts one or two new reviews a day on the most popular hotels in major destinations.)

A picture can be worth a thousand words: Notes Mark Ashley in his blog Upgrade: Travel Better, "I'm more likely to trust detailed reports that include both the good and the bad (no stay is perfect) and user-generated photos."

Be leery of outdated reviews that may not reflect current conditions: Expedia.com, for example, requires that reviews be posted within six months of a hotel stay and removes them after one year. Many other sites, Expedia-owned TripAdvisor among them, keep reviews online indefinitely.

Don't discount the experts: Some travel sites, such as LonelyPlanet.com, post professional and user reviews side by side.

Thoughts// A good collection of tips and thoughts from the USA Today about using UGC when planning a trip.

YellowstonePark.com, Wikitravel Win Webby Awards

The Webby Awards, an international award ceremony honoring the best of the Internet, was held in New York City from June 3-5. What have been called the "Oscars of the Internet," the Webbys are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. The body is made up of 550 members, including leading Web experts, business figures and creative celebrities.

Here are the winners and nominations from the Tourism and Travel categories:

Tourism:
Webby Award Winner
YellowstonePark.com (http://www.yellowstonepark.com)

People's Voice Winner
YellowstonePark.com (http://www.yellowstonepark.com)

Nominees
Sydney Wildlife World (http://www.sydneywildlifeworld.com)
Tourism New Zealand (http://www.newzealand.com/travel)
Tourism Australia (http://travelaustralia.ninemsn.com)
Vail Resorts: Resort Explorer (http://www.snow.com/resortexplorer)
YellowstonePark.com (http://www.yellowstonepark.com)

Travel:
Webby Award Winner
Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/)

People's Voice Winner
TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com)

Nominees
Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com)
Gods of Chinatown (http://gods.tenement.org)
Kayak.com (http://www.kayak.com)
TripAdvisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com)
Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/)

Thoughts// Needless to say, AOT will be entering the Webby Awards in 2008. A 'webby' would look very nice in the conference room.

TripAdvisor Trots Out Social Network

TripAdvisor, that sea of au courant and sometimes complaint-driven posts about hotels, is making it easier to find like-minded travelers. The subsidiary of Expedia plans to roll out a social-networking component Friday that should help you avoid those less-than-helpful "no ice in the water" comments about foreign hotels.

While you may roll your eyes at the idea of yet another social-networking site, keep in mind that TripAdvisor, which claims 10 million unique users, has cultural custom on its side. >>Full Story | TripAdvisor Press Release

Thoughts// In the works for the last few months, the new TripAdvisor 'Traveler Network' takes advantage of a reported 6 million members and creates a potentially powerful social networking site. While the CNET article does make light that this is another travel-related, user-generated content site, the user traffic and marketing prowess of TripAdvisor (Expedia) should propel the new offering past a variety of other competitors.

Currently, the actual user-generated offering is fairly basic (add friends, Google Maps mashup), but considering TripAdvisor's audience, this should be a good strategy. As the article alludes to, the next phase of the 'Traveler Network' should include 'a "find travelers like me" feature for expanding your network' and receiving more personalized recommendations.

In addition, AOT has been in contact with TripAdvisor (prior to the announcement) to evaluate this and future projects to ensure that AOT is able to take full advantage of these new product offerings.

TripAdvisor Acquires Four Travel Media Businesses, Strengthening User-Generated Content Lead in Travel

TripAdvisor, LLC, the world's largest travel community and an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE - News), today announced it has acquired four travel media businesses, adding five travel community web domains and growing its audience to more than 24 million monthly visitors, according to comScore Media Metrix. >>Full Story

Thoughts// While the release is a couple weeks old, this article does give a bit of insight into TripAdvisor’s long-term strategy…especially considering the purchase of bookingbuddy.com, seatguru.com and travelpod.com. With so many niche sites in the marketplace, consolidation in this space will likely continue for the foreseeable future.