The Wikimedia Foundation has decided to create a travel guide in the mold of its non-profit, user-written and search engine results-hogging Wikipedia.
The free encyclopedia often dominates the upper tiers of Google
search results pages, and the launch of a still-unnamed Wikimedia travel
guide could have substantial implications for travelers seeking free
destination advice — and guidebook publishers such as LonelyPlanet — if the new project garners any kind of comparable clout.
Imagine a free TripAdvisor focused on travel destinations, where
masses of travelers could update information during or after their hotel
stay, tour or private meanderings around town, and share it with the
world under the supervision of seasoned administrators.
The foundation’s board of trustees on July 11 approved a proposal to
launch an advertisement-free travel guide and community members noted
that 31 of the 48 administrators of the Internet Brands-owned Wikitravel have expressed interest in joining forces with the Wikimedia Foundation’s travel guide website.
Wikitravel is considered the current leader in travel wikis, but its
advertisements and monetization efforts may turn off travelers and
would-be contributors.
In addition, the introduction to a community discussion about the
travel guide proposal argues that Internet Brands has failed to keep
pace with the times and that Wikitravel suffers from a “lack of
technical support/feature development.”
Internet Brands didn’t respond to a request for comment.
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