March 2008
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Smart Traveler:
Next Up: Travel 2.0
By Christopher Elliott Photo by Ivan Zupic/Alamy
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Staying connected while traveling in Berlin. |
The so-called social networking revolution will change the way you travel, though not, perhaps, quite yet.
 f you prefer "twittering" to talking on your cell phone, have more friends on Facebook than in real life, and wouldn't dream of booking a hotel without first consulting TripAdvisor, you probably understand all the fuss about the next generation of websites, commonly referred to as Web 2.0.
But even if you don't, hang on to your mouse, because things are about to get interesting for everyone, not just those who are digitally enlightened.
First, a little background. Twitter lets you send short updates about what you're doing or thinking to your list of friends who are online. Facebook is a social networking site first developed for college students, and the current "next big thing" online. And TripAdvisor collects comments from hotel and restaurant guests and compiles ratings based on those reviews. These sites are just the first of many new applications that could fundamentally change travel. "It's just the beginning," says James A. Martin, a blogger on portable technology and travel. "The real promise of Web 2.0 is that people who don't know each other can share travel information and updates in real time, in ways that benefit them right before—or during—their travels."
Practically speaking, the new wave of travel sites should help you plan the perfect vacation, navigate your way through traffic, get updates about airport delays, and track down other like-minded souls. Take Iloho, a new site that connects travelers with similar interests and lets them share itineraries and information about their trips. If you're a tightwad with expensive tastes, there's a group specifically for you with discussions on top safaris, Indian luxury hotels, and how to fly in business class without breaking the bank. Iloho's mission is to connect you with someone who has already visited your dream destination, but true to its Web 2.0 roots, it's a two-way street. You post information and photos about your travels, and other readers can vote on whether they like the material you've published.
Another social networking tool, Orbitz's new OrbitzTLC Traveler Update combines air-traffic alerts and Transportation Security Administration data with information from passengers. Here's how it works: Say the flights out of New York's LaGuardia Airport are delayed by half an hour, as they were on a recent afternoon. You'll get the lowdown about the nature of the delay (air traffic problems), and find travelers buzzing about which security lines are the shortest (the ones at AirTran and Midwest), where you can grab a bite to eat (the food court on the lower level of the central terminal has seating), and whether the shuttle buses are running on time (they are).
Web 2.0 innovations aren't limited to air travel. There are at least two new projects that could help motorists, too. A new company called Leisurelogix has teamed up with Travelocity to create a RoadTrip Wizard that lets you plan every aspect of a car trip, from mapping to lodging and attractions. For example, plot a trip from Orlando, Fla., to Savannah, Ga., and the wizard will suggest attractions along the way you might enjoy, from the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light Station to the Space Walk of Fame in Titusville. Leisurelogix also plans to roll out a GPS-enabled component this year that would allow drivers to "see" all the attractions and lodgings that are available to them, based on their current location.
Another new application, Dash Express is an Internet-connected automotive navigation system that relies on a network of other motorists to calculate the fastest route to your destination. If other drivers have hit traffic, you're notified to take an alternative route. (Dash was still being tested at the time of publication.)
It's fair to say that social networking is taking travel sites in new—and often unexpected—directions. For instance, Travelistic is something like a YouTube for travelers. It lets you explore the world by watching user-created videos, professionally produced shows, and tourist-board clips.
Even TripAdvisor, one of the first Web 2.0 travel sites, isn't leaving well enough alone. The Expedia-owned site recently added a Facebook-like ability to connect with friends on the site. It lets you reach out to friends and family and get information from people you trust, which is one of the ideas behind Web 2.0. Facebook is also keeping up. That site doesn't just allow users to post information about themselves and track their friends, but it also allows software developers to write custom applications that run on the site. One of the most popular is a program, "Where I've Been," that lets you display a map of countries you've visited and to share the map with your friends. More than 100,000 Facebook users have downloaded it so far.
Other travel sites are busily working to keep up. The Washington Wine Commission just relaunched its website with a crop of new applications. One is an interactive map that lets you pick your preferred wine and activity, and generate a customized trip itinerary. For example, if you like Washington's Viogniers and want a B&B experience, the site points you to the Yakima area, where there are at least three wineries worth checking out. Once you've decided where to visit, you can share your itinerary with friends and obtain driving directions.
So how has social networking changed travel? In small but significant ways. While planning a trip to Iceland, Margot Bloomstein used TravelGator to connect with another user who had recently visited the Blue Lagoon, a spot that was at the top of her must-see list. "I e-mailed him with questions, and he recommended a great pub in Reykjavik and some side trips," says the creative strategist from Lowell, Mass. "It's helpful to be able to interact with a real person with similar priorities who's actually been there."
But even TravelGator admits it can—and should—do more. "The promise of Web 2.0 in travel has not yet been realized on any great scale," admits Chris DeBrusk, chief executive. "It is still necessary for someone planning a trip to visit numerous websites to get the information they require." The websites are, for the most part, "flat," he adds. And the travel sites that are on the vanguard of interactivity are still lacking a critical mass of visitors.
So travel's Web 2.0 revolution hasn't quite arrived. All of the necessary ingredients—cutting-edge technology, interesting sites, and creative applications—seem to be there. All, maybe, except for one: users.
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