Comments on: Further thoughts in RE: @openplaces Top Travel 2.0 sites http://www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/2009/08/11/further-thoughts-in-re-openplaces-top-travel-2-0-sites/ HHotelConsult hoping to make sense of his brainpan's thoughts, rambles, ambles, and more. Hotel Industry banter, social media thoughts, and general blather. Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:17:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Hraba http://www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/2009/08/11/further-thoughts-in-re-openplaces-top-travel-2-0-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-254 Michael Hraba Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:01:45 +0000 http://www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/?p=804#comment-254 I am shocked at all those sites on your blog... they are all incredibly cool. As for functionality, some seem to abstract or non specific to really appeal to masses. Most people have somewhere to go (and even when they don't, they have a vague idea of where they might go) that is quite specific.... I can't imagine some of those "enter the date and see where you can go" sites working out in the long run. I also want to get excited about the innovation and new world of travel... but there is a difference between "cool" and "useful". For example.... twihotels might be useful, it doesn't look that cool... and they do have a stumbling block of critical mass to cover. But then something like joobili which is endlessly cool but not really at all useful. At least to me. In the end the more boring ones are likely the ones to work the longest... like the seatguru I mentioned, or something like TV Trip, which has bad music over hotel videos but it is INCREDIBLY effective in doing what it is meant to do. There are so many sites out there... I am excited to explore these and more. It is really interesting to see exactly what each of the guys think too... I am with Josiah that video is going to play a huge role.. in communicating, welcoming, brand building, and exploring relationships... not just providing a look at the hotel. But in the end... function will dominate form... and I think this excercise has convinced me that a site like Kayak is going to be hard to beat. Of course, I could wait 2 months and be proven wrong. I *am* interested in the obvious: When will big UGR sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp start allowing mobile uploads and video? I am shocked at all those sites on your blog… they are all incredibly cool. As for functionality, some seem to abstract or non specific to really appeal to masses. Most people have somewhere to go (and even when they don’t, they have a vague idea of where they might go) that is quite specific…. I can’t imagine some of those “enter the date and see where you can go” sites working out in the long run. I also want to get excited about the innovation and new world of travel… but there is a difference between “cool” and “useful”. For example…. twihotels might be useful, it doesn’t look that cool… and they do have a stumbling block of critical mass to cover. But then something like joobili which is endlessly cool but not really at all useful. At least to me.

In the end the more boring ones are likely the ones to work the longest… like the seatguru I mentioned, or something like TV Trip, which has bad music over hotel videos but it is INCREDIBLY effective in doing what it is meant to do.

There are so many sites out there… I am excited to explore these and more. It is really interesting to see exactly what each of the guys think too… I am with Josiah that video is going to play a huge role.. in communicating, welcoming, brand building, and exploring relationships… not just providing a look at the hotel.

But in the end… function will dominate form… and I think this excercise has convinced me that a site like Kayak is going to be hard to beat. Of course, I could wait 2 months and be proven wrong. I *am* interested in the obvious:

When will big UGR sites like TripAdvisor or Yelp start allowing mobile uploads and video?

]]> By: Jeff http://www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/2009/08/11/further-thoughts-in-re-openplaces-top-travel-2-0-sites/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Jeff Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:26:08 +0000 http://www.hrabaconsulting.com/blog/?p=804#comment-253 Good stuff Michael, I'm happy to see your original post in all it's glory :) Thanks for the kind mention, we could got some great recommendations. I haven't even had a chance to check them all out yet, but I definitely will. Did you discover cool new sites? Good stuff Michael, I’m happy to see your original post in all it’s glory :)

Thanks for the kind mention, we could got some great recommendations. I haven’t even had a chance to check them all out yet, but I definitely will.

Did you discover cool new sites?

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