We were delighted to be given such a fantastic mention in Mark Hodson’s special in the April Sunday Times Travel section, ‘Guidebook Alternatives‘, available here in pdf courtesy of Spotted by Locals.
“No amount of guidebook research can replace
local knowledge – that’s the thinking behind
new trip-planning service Tripbod.com, aimed
at independent travellers who want a friend on
the ground to create a bespoke itinerary. The
site has more than 100 locals in locations from
Moscow to the Amazon, each recruited for their
expertise in anything from nightlife to ecology.
A week’s itinerary costs from £30, including an
annotated Google map, and Skype chats with
the resident expert.”
Innovation in Travel Information
Mark very usefully highlighted the range of new services and specified some of the best in blogs, community-sites, event listings, podcasts and mobile applications. We agree with almost all of the points made (except perhaps with “info’s free”) and believe that the overriding travel tech trends of the moment are:
- Locally sourced information
- Information tailored to your interests and your travel plans
- Handy information at your finger tips (mobile & podcasts).
We were pleased to see Spotted By Locals getting a mention for their fantastic travel blog written by locals and DK Travel and Not for Tourists being mentioned as two of the best iPhone guides.
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