Gemma Bowes, Sunday August 6, 2006, The Observer
Less than a decade ago, the arrival of huge online travel agents such as Expedia revolutionised the way we bought holidays and gave even the hardened technophobe a reason to log on to the internet. But now a new wave of interactive travel sites that allow holidaymakers to post their own hotel reviews and destination advice are attracting just as many browsers looking for up-to-the-minute, honest information that can't be found in guidebooks.
Unlike sites such as Travelocity and Expedia, which sell the components of holidays - flights, car hire, hotels - the new 'social' or 'me media' sites allow readers to swap information about holidays, chat or make friends. The most popular of these 'user-generated content' sites is Tripadvisor.com, which launched six years ago and now receives 20 million visitors a month worldwide - the same number as Lastminute.com, which was rated the most visited 'destinations and accommodation' website in the UK for 2005.
Although Tripadvisor is funded by advertising and is owned by Expedia, its principal purpose is to provide a place for people to post independent reviews, and share information. It is updated by readers every minute.
Current most-visited pages include a posting about family holidays to Niagara Falls and what to see in Boston. Chatroom discussions include where to buy Russian military memorabilia in Moscow and how one should dress in Paris.
'The internet is returning to its origins with content that is driven by individuals rather than corporations,' says Ian Rumgay, spokesman for Tripadvisor. 'Our site is about passing information by word of mouth, but on a bigger scale.'
Analysts say this trend signals a change across the internet - that it is being reclaimed by the public as a place for social networking and exchanging information instead of somewhere for companies to sell their products.
Another well-known example is the growth of Myspace.com, a site for people to network and swap comments, particularly about music, which last month overtook Yahoo and Google as the most visited website in the US.
And there are many similar travel sites that feature reviews and advice from 'normal people', including Virtualtourist.com , Holidaywatchdog.com and Thetravelinsider.info.
Now travel agents are starting to cotton on to the trend. In December, Lastminute launched Lastminuteliving.com, a 'community site' that allows readers to post reviews of hotels and general travel advice, though it has only attracted 1,300 posts so far. 'Before long, the public will expect this sort of interactivity as the norm rather than the exception,' says a spokeswoman.
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But now a new wave of interactive travel sites that allow holidaymakers to post their own hotel reviews and destination advice are attracting just as many browsers looking for up-to-the-minute, honest information that can't be found in guidebooks.
Unlike sites such as Travelocity and Expedia, which sell the components of holidays - flights, car hire, hotels - the new 'social' or 'me media' sites allow readers to swap information about holidays, chat or make friends. The most popular of these 'user-generated content' sites is Tripadvisor.com, which launched six years ago and now receives 20 million visitors a month worldwide - the same number as Lastminute.com, which was rated the most visited 'destinations and accommodation' website in the UK for 2005.
Although Tripadvisor is funded by advertising and is owned by Expedia, its principal purpose is to provide a place for people to post independent reviews, and share information. It is updated by readers every minute.
Current most-visited pages include a posting about family holidays to Niagara Falls and what to see in Boston. Chatroom discussions include where to buy Russian military memorabilia in Moscow and how one should dress in Paris.
'The internet is returning to its origins with content that is driven by individuals rather than corporations,' says Ian Rumgay, spokesman for Tripadvisor. 'Our site is about passing information by word of mouth, but on a bigger scale.'
Analysts say this trend signals a change across the internet - that it is being reclaimed by the public as a place for social networking and exchanging information instead of somewhere for companies to sell their products.
Another well-known example is the growth of Myspace.com, a site for people to network and swap comments, particularly about music, which last month overtook Yahoo and Google as the most visited website in the US.
And there are many similar travel sites that feature reviews and advice from 'normal people', including Virtualtourist.com , Holidaywatchdog.com and Thetravelinsider.info.
Now travel agents are starting to cotton on to the trend. In December, Lastminute launched Lastminuteliving.com, a 'community site' that allows readers to post reviews of hotels and general travel advice, though it has only attracted 1,300 posts so far. 'Before long, the public will expect this sort of interactivity as the norm rather than the exception,' says a spokeswoman.
