Users research potential locales and attractions to visit, and hotels to book, primarily by browsing the thousands of reviews posted on the website each week by other travelers. TripAdvisor is an example of Consumer Generated Media.
Description
TripAdvisor.com is a travel information website, covering more than 270,000 hotels and attractions[1] in over 30,000 destinations worldwide. It features hotel, attraction, and restaurant reviews written by travelers; a wiki for users to provide facts and tips on destinations, similar in concept to a travel guidebook; "goLists", where users list what to see or what to do, somewhat like travel itineraries; interactive maps based on the Google Maps engine; and "TripAdvisor Forums", an active traveler message board area. Each of these are described under "Major products" below.
With more than 10 million reviews and opinions[2] and nearly 30 million unique visitors a month, TripAdvisor is also the largest travel community on the web.[3]
The site has been criticised for allowing users to publish fraudulent reviews. In response, they claim that all reviews are moderated by their staff, and they have algorithms to detect abuse.[4]
History
TripAdvisor was founded in February 2000, and was purchased by InterActive Corporation in 2004. Original financing was obtained from Flagship Ventures, the Bollard Group, and private investors. TripAdvisor is now part of the Expedia, Inc. family of travel companies.
Business model
TripAdvisor, free to consumers, is supported by an advertising model. Clients include most major online travel agencies, including Expedia, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Hotwire, Priceline, Travelocity and many travel suppliers, such as InterContinental, Hyatt, and American Airlines.[citation needed]
Major products
- Hotel/Attraction/Restaurant reviews: In many ways the foundation of TripAdvisor, TripAdvisor has reviews and opinions on over 270,000 hotels, attractions, and restaurants. The hotel, restaurant, and attraction rankings found throughout the site are based largely on these reviews.
- Travel wiki: A wiki (based on a clusterized version of XWiki) in which users can add information on destinations as a way to aid potential visitors. Topics include transportation, activities and dining guides.
- goLists: Lists of places and activities compiled by users and usually on travel "themes", e.g.,, ten must-see attractions, stops on a walking tour, or ideas for a rainy day.
- TripAdvisor maps: A hotel map mashup combining TripAdvisor's hotel popularity index with Google Maps.
- TripAdvisor Forums: Message boards where travelers ask and answer thousands of destination and interest based travel-related questions every day. There are forums for individual destinations, air travel, cruising, and family travel.
- Other resources: Links to additional travel information and reviews available on other websites (e.g., newspaper, magazine, and travel guidebook websites).
Impact on the hotel industry
A 2007 survey of the hotel and restaurant industry in Europe[5] concluded that 80% of UK consumers are now researching online before booking a hotel and that half of them said they have refrained from booking a hotel as a direct result of a negative review on websites such as TripAdvisor.
In Popular Culture
Australian comedy Kath and Kim referenced the user reviews from TripAdvisor of a hotel they were visiting in the first episode of the fourth season.
In the NBC series, The Office, Dwight describes TripAdvisor as the "life blood of the agro-tourism industry."
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