GLOBOsapiens intern talk group posting on GLOBOsapiens

Certifying travel tips

Postings 1 - 7 of 7

andreas Joined: May 02 Points: 8313 Posts: 809 Posted: 2004-10-02 09:47:00    Hi everybody, I am wondering what you members think about following idea: The travel tips are a usefull tool, but what about the data? Is it correct, is it up to data?! How about certifying for example restaurants or hotels? GLOBO could contact the restaurant and ask them to check the contact details and those listings would get a certifyed logo. The restaurant could also add more info, like aditionals pictures. I am wondering if you see this as a problem. This would be the first time that other data then yours will be added to your member pages. This data would be checked before added, plus it would clearly be stated that this is not published by the member. Some sort of "more info box" with a nice certifyed seal. What do you think? Andy Reply    Reply with quote    Contact andreas   marianne Premium account Joined: Sep 03 Points: 20248 Posts: 349 Posted: 2004-10-02 11:38:00    It is of utmost importance that travel trip give correct information. If they don't the trustworthiness of GLOBO is doubtful. Superbvisors could be appointed who are familiar with the destination and who can check accuracy of information (and also spelling of some the items in the travel tips. These supervisors work on a voluntary basis, although if they get some perks they will probably be even more dedicated. Marianne --- “I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” Robert Louis Stevenson Reply    Reply with quote    Contact marianne   britman Premium account Joined: Apr 04 Points: 17984 Posts: 83 Posted: 2004-10-02 12:23:00    I think that guide tips and recommendations must be known and must have been visited and used by the member personally. I fear that some member’s entries have just been snatched from guide books and tourist sites merely to gain points! A member’s photo of the entry helps this verification process. Marianne’s idea of regional supervisors is sound but maybe complicated and expensive to police or evaluate if previously unknown to the supervisor who has to travel there just to visit and assess. A fellow Globo’s endorsement of a tip could be worthwhile and should merit additional points for details of a stay etc. I am all for trying to get any revenue in to Globo to assist Andy in recovering the ongoing development costs of this operation. An endorsement of tips by their proprietors for a small fee is one way of raising revenue. Andy go for it! However, it does mean that GLOBO’s entering the establishment/place as a tip or recommendation must give a valid email address for that organisation so that it can be easily contacted by GLOBO staff. Of course sponsorship of a tipped establishment could also possibly lead to a 5 or 10 point bonus to the original sponsoring member – or – a perhaps an invite to GLOBO’s Staff Xmas Party - otherwise Andy will be all alone in his favourite recommended beer hall with no one to buy him a beer this Christmas ;-) Cheers, Brit --- Cheers! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact britman   rangutan Premium account Joined: Aug 04 Points: 34752 Posts: 1044 Posted: 2004-10-03 03:30:00    I think that giving a web-link for a 'travel tip' is brilliant and should be forced/mandatory. That way the information, pictures, prices, phone, email and all is always AUTOMATICALLY updated by others within their own homepage/site. All we members then have to do is report dead links or alternatives and maybe get points for it. The system then updates itself without costs! Not forgetting that such travel tips should also/really/already be incorporated in the present fields in "reports" (ones own special experiences of a city or region), it would also be wonderful if those and the separately posted "travel tips" are checked out for potential sponsoring from the businesses for funding say moderation or programming costs. I always thought this was already happening and that’s where the orange advice on the right-hand side of our pages comes from! Think though, there are countless websites that already specialize in this for each country and city, that’s why I occasionally refer to useful GENERAL websites in my reports rather than trying to note and list every business that I see on my trips within the report! Further, I see that visitors have no access to a list of the travel tips for a specific location other than via the individual members page, so checking and sponsorship is difficult. To the options in the tips, I would like “special events” added eg. Oktoberfest, Yearly Parades, Running-of-the-Bulls…and have them sorted and displayed by date somewhere. --- Rudolf "Rangutan" Graspointner Reply    Reply with quote    Contact rangutan   mortimer Premium account Joined: Jun 04 Points: 15075 Posts: 528 Posted: 2004-10-06 15:37:00    Travel tips... Hi Andy I like this idea about certified Travel tips. And the searchable travel tip function that comes with it! One problem I encounter with travel tips: The phone number: The underlying format doesn't accept phonenumbers from certain regions (more or less digits). I would suggest to delete this format. It makes it a lot easier to upload a travel tip because when you upload a number in a wrong format, certain check boxes return to the standard setting in the error screen (one two three tumbs, price, Type...) You therefore have to be very careful when posting your travel tip. Martin --- Today is the first day of the rest of your life, enjoy it! Reply    Reply with quote    Contact mortimer   andreas Joined: May 02 Points: 8313 Posts: 809 Posted: 2004-10-06 15:54:00    Hello Martin, you are right, the format is to strickt. This will be fixed with the introduction of certified tips. There is also some more info comming to those tips to make it for the companies worth to certifiy - ein echter Mehrwert. Regards, Andy Reply    Reply with quote    Contact andreas   bear495 Joined: May 03 Points: 8634 Posts: 177 Posted: 2004-10-06 23:52:00    I like the idea of certifying travel tips, although the idea could become quite bulky and tedious. One of the suggestions was to verify the place by its email. That can be difficult in many circumstances. I like to go into some of the smaller restaurants which are frequented by locals on my trips. Many of these are so small that they do not always have a website or an email. Many that I would recommend do not even have telephones, so I have been unable to list them. Such is the case in many Latin countries, and I can imagine the same thing in other areas as well. Sending out another Globie to verify the information may be one answer (although costly and awkward). Perhaps some senior member living within the area could verify the site, or another member travelling to one of the cities or areas could check the information. Honestly, when travelling in many areas of the world, I prefer to "go native." That adds to my enjoyment and understanding of the culture. Russ --- "Own only what you can carry with you; know language, know countries, know people. Let your memory be your travel bag." Alexander Solzhenitsyn Reply    Reply with quote    Contact bear495