TravelPost.com vs. TripAdvisor: it's all subjective

First of all, I don't think TravelPost.com is the first company trying to compete with the almighty TripAdvisor on hotel reviews.

In the past 2/3 years, we have seen:

* Vinivi for European consumers
* VibeAgent with a fantastic user interface
* Zoover who won 3rd best start up at Le Web08 conference
* Trivago backed up by Hoozat Media
* HotelCombined with more than 2 million reviews aggregated

and more small niche review sites (by country, city, type of hotels) are available to the public.

So when I hear TravelPost is a "serious" competitor, let's not forget these ones as well.

To gain traffic and usage, I believe any of these challengers need to bring something new on the value chain rather than slashing your number 1 competitor by telling it pollutes the Internet.

Also anyone with no commercial acumen or any idea how to make money with these sites will die soon.
On the same article from Travolution, Steve Hafner, CEO of Kayak.com who owns TravelPost.com says that Tripadvisor had become very “commercially driven.”.  End? Wha'ts the problem with that? TripAdvisor is part of Expedia Inc, a public company trading on the US stock market. So their Number 1 goal is to make profits. Doesn't Kayak aim to make money with TravelPost as well?

I believe it's good that TravelPost has been revived and I welcome their "can do attitude" trying to make a better job than TripAdvisor when it comes to provide unbiased hotel reviews. Let's not forget that TripAdvisor has more than 20M reviews with a daily traffic that a lot of online travel start ups would die for. Let's see how long it will take  for TravelPost to come this kind of mass usage and recognition.

Today, TravelPost aggregates 1/2 million reviews from 140,000 hotels. To be continued...

Comments

[Cheap Flights to Sydney]

Yes, This rally great information you are displaying here...Thanks..

[hotel pinarella]

I like travel and I use to check always TripAdvisor.

[Cheap Flights to Sydney]

Thanks for the great information.

[Perth Hotels]

May it be travel post nor travel advisor still it's the same. They provide us consumer the reviews and insights about a particular hotel. The end point we the consumer get the better review.

[hotel rimini]

Sorry i'm jack

[hotel rimin]

Really nice Thanks :)

[Ignacio Casellas]

Hi Guillaume,

As TA member, I do not like (I undestand, more reviews, better conversion) that TA adds reviews of IDS & OTA users not members of TA.

Somehow, TA is saying to members: I do not have enough with your generated content, must add other online operators reviews.

Without doubt, I feel dissapointed and slighted

[Guillaume]

@ Shalina: I can't agree more

@ Gilles: absolutely, not one player will rule us all!

@ Bob: I think I will delete your comment, sorry

[Gilles]

Definitely agree with you:
* innovation will help determining who answers best consumers questions
* let's face it : one size does not fit all : different markets need different tools
* competition is good : there is not only Coca Cola on the soda market

and, after all, it's all beneficial for the consumer.

[Shalina]

Its going to take some time for TravelPost to create the same reach as TripAdvisor, as it has around 5 years advantage in terms of gathering reviews!

There are a number of flaws with TripAdvisor and from seeing the TravelPost site, I think it has managed to address a few of them, like filtering, searching, less clutter, contextual reviews however the challenge for TravelPost and Kayak is in challening the might of Expedia Inc and the brand power of TripAdvisor. If TravelPost can continue over the next few years on its current model then it has a great chance but sustaining this against TripAdvisor could become a financial sink...