New travel Web sites do more than book trip
July 22, 2008 | Online Travel
A new generation of travel Web sites is using creative features to help travelers customize their vacation, whether it be a kayaking adventure or a lazy stay at the beach.
Tips, ratings and itineraries - often supplied by everyday travelers rather than professionals - are a cornerstone for many of the new companies, which are competing against giants like Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity and Yahoo Travel.
“They’re doing things differently and more creatively,” said Henry Harteveldt, an analyst for Forrester Research, who likened the new sites to travel agents, whose services stretch beyond selling tickets.
For instance, TripWiser is a bulletin board of vacation ideas where users post itineraries to help others get started on plans for a mountain retreat, big city shopping jaunt or idyllic tropical getaway. TVTrip features video tours of hotels. Dopplr allows frequent business travelers to privately post their travel schedules and learn if any friends will be in the same city at the same time.
Get the full story at the San Francisco Chronicle
Related Articles
Highflying days over for online travel sites
02 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
European online bookings to jump 19% this year
02 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
UK travel industry in for ‘white knuckle ride’ in 2009
01 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
Priceline plans marketing push for booking.com
01 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
China’s eLong Q3 net loss widens
27 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
hotels.com offers the ‘millionth review’ sweepstakes
27 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
In tough times for travel business, Europe holds steady
26 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Budgets shrink, and holiday fares follow suit
26 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Survey: Singles can’t find the right holiday
26 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Expedia and Carlson Hotels launch flexible pricing pilot
25 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Most Popular Articles
Travel: Weakening demand becomes falling demand
19 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
The disturbing inaccuracy behind Google Analytics
18 Nov, 2008 | Internet Marketing
Expedia to restructure
18 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
TripAdvisor wants your hotel website
20 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Luxury business-traveler segment going away with great speed
19 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Back-to-basics marketing tips for today’s challenging economic conditions
27 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Hotels struggle, but guests less so
18 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Highflying days over for online travel sites
02 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
Expedia and Carlson Hotels launch flexible pricing pilot
25 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Marketers need to adapt to new economic conditions
19 Nov, 2008 | Internet Marketing
Economic Downturn
Highflying days over for online travel sites
02 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
European online bookings to jump 19% this year
02 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
Six economic survival steps, sans discounts
02 Dec, 2008 | Internet Marketing
When the going gets tough, the tough don’t skimp on their ad budgets
02 Dec, 2008 | Internet Marketing
UK travel industry in for ‘white knuckle ride’ in 2009
01 Dec, 2008 | Online Travel
Strategies for booking hotels on a budget
01 Dec, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Back-to-basics marketing tips for today’s challenging economic conditions
27 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Effective online marketing in a recession
27 Nov, 2008 | Internet Marketing
In tough times for travel business, Europe holds steady
26 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Budgets shrink, and holiday fares follow suit
26 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Hotels: managing in a downturn
26 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Zuji survey with insights on travel in a downturn economy
25 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Travel: Weakening demand becomes falling demand
19 Nov, 2008 | Online Travel
Luxury business-traveler segment going away with great speed
19 Nov, 2008 | Hospitality Industry
Marketers need to adapt to new economic conditions
19 Nov, 2008 | Internet Marketing
E-Mail Newsletter
Visit our sponsors:
