Like the notion of offbeat travel the idea of Offbeat Guides has intrigued me. I received an invitation to test their Beta last year, but I've been on the road and haven't had time 'til now. As I've been curious about the product for a while, I'd imagined a whimsical website with quirky guides to the world's kookiest places. So I was disappointed to see a conservative design of grey and white with splashes of red. I'd envisaged something vibrant, psychedelic even - and not just because they're based in San Francisco. Started by a team that includes former Melbourne Lonely Planet staffer Marina Kosmatos as their 'Content Curator', Offbeat Guides claims to be "the first travel guides that you create online using the most current travel information available on the internet for over 30,000 travel destinations." But what makes these guides so different - and so unique, quirky and original I'm wondering - in comparison to all the other travel guides out there? They claim: "These personalized travel guides give you all of the information that traditional travel guides include, plus more. For the first time, you can personalize your guide based on your travel dates, destination, and personal travel interests." But a number of publishers and websites have been offering custom travel guides for some time now including traditional guidebook publishers DK (check out their 'Create your own travel guide') and Lonely Planet (see their Pick n Mix). As for personalised trip planning, there's Triporati (which I reviewed) and Trip Wolf, which allows travellers to customize and download their own free PDF travel guide. So I can't see anything new or original here. Yet this seems to be what Offbeat thinks sets them apart. Elsewhere on their blog someone writes: "Personalized publishing is a tremendous opportunity in the publishing business - and that printed books have a lot of value, especially if you can personalize them to each individual reader. I’m a big fan of customized product companies like Moo, Cafepress, Lulu, Spreadshirt, Threadless, and JPG Magazine. I think there’s a new sector forming around creating tangible representations of digital creations - and I like it". Like it they may (so do I), but this still leaves me wondering what makes the guides 'offbeat'... let me test them out and I'll report back to you...
Showing posts with label Triporati. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triporati. Show all posts
How 'offbeat' are Offbeat Guides?
Like the notion of offbeat travel the idea of Offbeat Guides has intrigued me. I received an invitation to test their Beta last year, but I've been on the road and haven't had time 'til now. As I've been curious about the product for a while, I'd imagined a whimsical website with quirky guides to the world's kookiest places. So I was disappointed to see a conservative design of grey and white with splashes of red. I'd envisaged something vibrant, psychedelic even - and not just because they're based in San Francisco. Started by a team that includes former Melbourne Lonely Planet staffer Marina Kosmatos as their 'Content Curator', Offbeat Guides claims to be "the first travel guides that you create online using the most current travel information available on the internet for over 30,000 travel destinations." But what makes these guides so different - and so unique, quirky and original I'm wondering - in comparison to all the other travel guides out there? They claim: "These personalized travel guides give you all of the information that traditional travel guides include, plus more. For the first time, you can personalize your guide based on your travel dates, destination, and personal travel interests." But a number of publishers and websites have been offering custom travel guides for some time now including traditional guidebook publishers DK (check out their 'Create your own travel guide') and Lonely Planet (see their Pick n Mix). As for personalised trip planning, there's Triporati (which I reviewed) and Trip Wolf, which allows travellers to customize and download their own free PDF travel guide. So I can't see anything new or original here. Yet this seems to be what Offbeat thinks sets them apart. Elsewhere on their blog someone writes: "Personalized publishing is a tremendous opportunity in the publishing business - and that printed books have a lot of value, especially if you can personalize them to each individual reader. I’m a big fan of customized product companies like Moo, Cafepress, Lulu, Spreadshirt, Threadless, and JPG Magazine. I think there’s a new sector forming around creating tangible representations of digital creations - and I like it". Like it they may (so do I), but this still leaves me wondering what makes the guides 'offbeat'... let me test them out and I'll report back to you...
Bespoke breaks: tailored trip planning with Triporati
So who has used Triporati? I'm curious to know. Terry and I are just two of their travel experts on a team that includes a notable bunch of travel writers with a library's worth of guidebook credits to their names, but I have to say (and I'm not biased, honest) that I'm truly impressed with how Triporati works. Let's say you're not sure where you want to go but you know what you want to do. You want to spend a week basking on a beach, for instance, you want to make yourself dizzy with some high altitude fun and fresh mountain air? But you're not sure where you want to do it. Well, go to 'Discover Great Trips', scan the Recommend Trips For... the Beach, Eco-Tourism, Adventure, Family, etc, click on something you like, and you'll find popular destinations that match your interests. Don't fancy any of those? Then click on 'Your Custom Trip'. Once there, Select Your Interests (from a long list that includes everything from cooking classes to wine tasting) and Complete Your Trip Profile (this is where you input your airport, time of year you want to travel, budget, etc; you can also save this info and name your trip to store your profile). Once you're done, click 'Recommend Trips' and Triporati magically produces a list of All Recommended Trips for you. If you see places you don't want to go or want to narrow the choices to a specific region you're dying to explore, you can select a region from 'Show trips in...'. Click on a place that appeals and you'll get the vital info to help you make your decision. This is the content that experts like us write: an overview of the destination, must-see sights, attractions you can leave for next time, activities and events, etc. Then there's all the helpful stuff Triporati brings together for you, including hotels, flights and tours (and the ability to compare rates and deals), travel insurance, news, weather, visa and travel info, guidebooks to read, photos and videos to inspire you, and google maps so you can see where the hell you're going. And if all that doesn't help but you think you're on the right track, take a look at 'Trips Like...' which recommends similar (but different) destinations. If you're travelling with friends or family, get them to have a go and compare results! Give it a try and let me know what you think.The pic: one of the many breathtaking beaches in the south-west of Western Australia, an area that extends from Esperance to Albany and all the way across to Augusta, with a coastline dotted with beaches boasting snow white sands, turquoise water, and dramatic rocks - that's a trip I'd do again in a heartbeat.
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