TripAdvisor launched its mobile website in March 2010 and has since added apps for a number of smarphones and tablets. TA Mobile allows users to access traveler reviews and opinions on hotels, restaurants and attractions available on TripAdvisor.com, and gives them the option to search for airfares, ask questions in the TripAdvisor forums, and get inside tips on destinations from fellow travelers while they’re on-the-go.
Recently, TripAdvisor acquired EveryTrail, for its GPS-enabled publishing platform to create outdoor tours and city guides for mobile devices. With this technology, TripAdvisor Mobile strengthens the quality of travel information consumers can access from their smartphones.
EveryTrail brings to TripAdvisor a strong global community of passionate travelers, who together have created over half a million highly engaging travel experiences in over 160 countries, with more than 2 million geo-located photos. The company’s EveryTrail Guides, considered the world’s first truly mobile travel guides, got TA’s undivided attention. After all, what EveryTrail has got and TA didn’t was high quality, unique content. TA’s sole strength relies in so-called user reviews, whose reliability is questioned by many. But when quantity means more than quality, TripAdvisor has a lot to brag about: there are over 40 million traveler reviews and opinions on TA’s network.
EveryTrail cannot brag about a community as large as TripAdvisor’s, but then again, it is a much younger company, and whatever they lack in numbers, they provide in quality. TA hasn’t disclosed the amount paid for EveryTrail, hopefully not a basement-bargain price, but whatever they paid, it was well worth it.