After listening to 32 “innovators” at the PhocusWright Travel Innovation Summit in Hollywood yesterday, the verdict is in: Travelers just want more planning tools.
I’m not convinced that we need all the trip planning tools that seem to be coming travelers’ way. There are only so many virtual folders that I can stuff trip information into and have any hope of eventually finding it.
My concern is that all of the Web pages and sites I have saved on one of the travel planning sites will eventually go the way of grocery coupons I clip and stuff into an envelope.
That being said, some new services can really make a difference in organizing your trip and then dealing with problems as the travel proceeds.
At the forefront of the trip planning efforts is Tripit. They, as far as I know, are the granddaddy of the group, having had more time to hone their presentation and their relationships. Tripit allows travelers to send in their itineraries and arrangements to its site by email, to have it organized into a cohesive whole, residing in an easy-to-modify and easy-to-find file. With flight information, destination information, car rental information and hotel reservation information, Tripit automatically adds weather, maps, city guides and photos that flesh out trip information. The Tripit platform also takes advantage of Web 2.0 with travel sharing modules as well. Much of this consolidation of information is automatic, making Tripit a real value-added proposition for most travelers — both business and leisure.
Travelmuse takes a different approach. Their effort is to focus on inspiring travelers with articles, blogs, photos, reviews and more that describe various destinations. Presently, this is aimed at the leisure traveler with nooks and crannies in the site to tuck away personal travel research. The site, after a destination is selected, used the wisdom of the crowds to recommend hotels and dining establishments.
Tripchill consolidates trip information on mobile phone platforms. Lodging, dining spots, appointments, flights, auto rentals and so on can be loaded into the Tripschill service that can then be accessed through cell phones, even old world cell phones with text messaging capabilities. Tripchill can alert travelers about flight changes, the need to shift rental car plans or cancel hotel reservations. The cell phone application offers up local geo-tagged restaurant and hotel recommendations and allows travelers freedom from their computers and the ability to react to changing travel realities while on the road.
Another site dedicated to solving problems and consolidating itineraries through mobile devices while travelers are on the road is Worldmatelive. The service alerts travelers about possible problems and provides links to online services that can get the travel plans back on track.
Planeteye provides a spot for travelers to collect information about any destination based on a geo-tagging preference. Triporati provides a system for travelers to harness the expertise of professional travel writers to select a vacation destination; after the destination is selected the site links visitors out to various online tavel agencies to make arrangements.
Bear with these sites. Some are still adding content and most are in beta form. However, these kinds of travel itinerary consolidators are a coming site wave in the future.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
