TripSay and the world of “travel 2.0” (score a beta invite from Gadling)

by Jeremy Kressmann on

The web has already created all sorts of great ways for travelers to connect and share information. Sites like Dopplr let you share details on where you’re going with your friends, while Wikitravel has brought us the next generation of collaboratively-created travel guides.

But these types of interactive travel sites are only the beginning. A new generation of user-driven travel portals promises to combine travel opinions with searchable maps, images, tagging capabilities and intuitive recommendation systems. One of the more interesting of this new crop of sites is TripSay. TripSay, which is still in private beta mode, promises to let users create their own personalized travel profiles, as well as to rank and create recommendations from their travels. As you begin to add friends to your travel network and further define your preferred traveling style, TripSay customizes its content to your interests. Think of it like Trip Advisor on steroids. Recently, Gadling was lucky enough to snag an invite to the private beta testing and take the site for a spin.

On first glance, TripSay offers a relatively easy-to-use interface. When you first sign-up, you’re asked to rate some of the places you’ve visited, assigning them a ranking on a five point scale from “smiley” down to my favorite, “butt.” You’re also able to further tweak your profile on the basis of travel style, including identifiers like whether you lean towards budget or luxury travel, your language abilities and previous travel experience.

Since I’m headed to Japan in a few weeks, I decided to see what the site had to say about Tokyo. TripSay loaded up a map of the city, already dotted with markers indicating sites of interest. I clicked on the marker for the Tokyo Tower, which brought up an overview of the building, along with a random photo of it pulled from Flickr. Since the site hasn’t yet launched, there are only a few markers, but I can see the potential. Any user can add their own tips to the map, categorizing them into such topics as “eat, drink and party,” “culture,” “nature” and “amusement” among others. As you add more travel friends, the markers that appear on your map are tailored to reflect the suggestions of your friends and your particular preferences.

Any great travel experience is ultimately a product of both spontaneous epiphany and reliable information. That information can come from any number of sources – a guidebook, the web or even word of mouth. TripSay looks to be an interesting hybrid of all three. However, its success will ultimately depend on its community of users, who will provide the site’s appeal and content. Want to help them get things started? Leave us a comment below and we’ll randomly select five winners early next week to get invites.

[Note: comments have now been turned off. Thanks to everyone for expressing their interest!]

Border patrol is Googling and Facebooking you

by Iva Skoch on

Here’s a good warning to those travelers who have a net presence in Facebook, blogs, other social networking sites, or anywhere on the web. Watch what you write; “They” are watching, and you can’t escape your past.

It turns out that Homeland Security is now googling (that’s a verb, now, right?) foreigners entering into the U.S., and using this information in order to bar entry.

Andrew Feldmar (pictured right), a Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor and now Vancouver psychotherapist, was detained four hours, fingerprinted, and barred entry after DHS noticed an article of his in a literary and scientific journal, talking about using LSD and other drugs in the 1960s…even though he has no criminal record and hasn’t used drugs since the 1970s. He was told he now needs formal permission from the U.S. consul to enter into the U.S.

It’s doubtful the border agent consulted lawyers to determine if a U.S. crime had been committed by Feldmar’s drug use, presumably in Canada, and over 30 years ago. What if his drug use was legal? If a person can imbibe, quit, and become President of the U.S., should others’ actions from thirty years ago come back to haunt them today? What about journalists that write less-than-flattering articles about the U.S.?

Connecting with Fellow Travelers on Facebook

by Neil Woodburn on

When it comes to online social networking, I’m a bit of a Luddite. Am I the last person on this planet without Tom as a friend? I wonder sometimes.

There are a few travel related social networks I have considered joining, however. Most recently, I discovered some rather cool travel applications available for users of the ever growing Facebook site.

Where I’ve Been, for example, allows users to highlight on an interactive map all the places they’ve visited as well as all the places they’d like to visit. This is a cool way to find a new friend that either shares your obscure passion for Central Asia, for example, or might simply be interested in joining you on your next adventure to Cameroon.

This is very cool for people like myself who’ve learned that the worst thing about my rather sedentary life in Los Angeles these days is a failure to meet and connect with other passionate travelers here in my hometown.

Facebook here I come!

Social Networking Site helps find Travel Partners

by Neil Woodburn on

Ah yes, social networking; the wave of the future.

Naturally there are many opportunities in the travel world for social networking and a variety of sites are jumping on board.

One of the more recent arrivals is wayn.com. Where Are You Now? is designed to bring travelers together and keep track of where your travel buddies are currently encamped and where they are heading.

Back when I did a lot of solo backpacking around the globe, this site would have been perfect for hooking up with potential travel partners–sort of like online dating, I suppose. But instead, back in the dark ages before the prevalence of the internet, I’d have to ask around in youth hostels to see if anyone was going my way. Sometimes this worked, and sometimes I just continued flying solo.

Out of curiosity, I plugged in a location through which I once was very concerned about traveling solo–Uzbekistan–and discovered 16 potential travel partners who are on their way there. Very cool.

Gadling Around the Globe

by Dave Luna on

Hello world! Each dot on the map above represents one of Gadling’s sexy and intelligent readers… just like you. They come from far and wide; all brought together by a desire to see the world. Please take a moment and add yourself to the map. You don’t need to add a picture, but you can if you’d like.

The map is courtesy of the great folks at Frappr.