Comments on: We’ve STILL no idea where to go http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html Banter between travel writers, travel PRs and travel social media people Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Time for a new kind of travel agent? | Travelblather http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html/comment-page-1#comment-689 Time for a new kind of travel agent? | Travelblather Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:06:26 +0000 http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/weve-still-no-idea-where-to-go.html#comment-689 [...] blathered plenty already about how hard it is to find the right holiday on-line. Right now hundreds of thousands of people [...] [...] blathered plenty already about how hard it is to find the right holiday on-line. Right now hundreds of thousands of people [...]

]]> By: Jake http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html/comment-page-1#comment-296 Jake Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:59:13 +0000 http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/weve-still-no-idea-where-to-go.html#comment-296 Crap. Crap.

]]> By: Pura Aventura http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html/comment-page-1#comment-295 Pura Aventura Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:41:45 +0000 http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/weve-still-no-idea-where-to-go.html#comment-295 I personally think that the search functionality of globrix.com is brilliant. OK it's for houses but being able to browse by shopping list or by map, being able to slide budget to a suitable range, being able to define details such as 'freehold', 'outdoor space', 'off road parking' etc. is brilliant. The same sort of functionality would surely be fairly transferrable to a travel site as long as there was sufficient content to deliver interesting results. Someone like ResponsibleTravel.com would be really powerful if they had that level of search functionality. As for the holidays for next summer, can I please suggest the Picos de Europa mountains? Central north coast of Spain. Beautiful coastline, small beaches, towns and villages. Stunning mountains. Fun activities from surfing to canoeing to horse riding, mountain biking, walking, etc. etc. Weather is not guaranteed but the place is amazing. Shameless plug here (sorry Jeremy) but you can at least see photos here <a href="http://www.pura-aventura.com/category/43_picos_de_europa_holidays_holidays" rel="nofollow">http://www.pura-aventura.com/category/43_picos_de_europa_holidays_holidays</a> Depends on the age of the children of course, I'd say that the Picos start to be interesting if your kids are around 8yrs and over. Personally I'm very keen to visit Croatia/Montenegro I think that's a good idea. Friends of mine have just bought a small rental place in Turkey which is off the beaten track. Mallorca, nice idea Jeremey but generally wildly expensive if you want to avoid the big resort hotels. I personally think that the search functionality of globrix.com is brilliant. OK it's for houses but being able to browse by shopping list or by map, being able to slide budget to a suitable range, being able to define details such as 'freehold', 'outdoor space', 'off road parking' etc. is brilliant. The same sort of functionality would surely be fairly transferrable to a travel site as long as there was sufficient content to deliver interesting results. Someone like ResponsibleTravel.com would be really powerful if they had that level of search functionality.

As for the holidays for next summer, can I please suggest the Picos de Europa mountains? Central north coast of Spain. Beautiful coastline, small beaches, towns and villages. Stunning mountains. Fun activities from surfing to canoeing to horse riding, mountain biking, walking, etc. etc. Weather is not guaranteed but the place is amazing.

Shameless plug here (sorry Jeremy) but you can at least see photos here http://www.pura-aventura.com/category/43_picos_de_europa_holidays_holidays

Depends on the age of the children of course, I'd say that the Picos start to be interesting if your kids are around 8yrs and over.

Personally I'm very keen to visit Croatia/Montenegro I think that's a good idea. Friends of mine have just bought a small rental place in Turkey which is off the beaten track.

Mallorca, nice idea Jeremey but generally wildly expensive if you want to avoid the big resort hotels.

]]> By: Melissa Shales http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html/comment-page-1#comment-294 Melissa Shales Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:43:10 +0000 http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/weve-still-no-idea-where-to-go.html#comment-294 Years ago, at the beginning of the dotcom revolution, I was involved with a web startup that was designed to start with just that - a search that you could programme with your requirements - a holiday for a £500 budget, within 4 hours flying time, with a good beach, interesting castles, good food and steam trains, and a 4-star hotel. It would do a global search and up would pop a list of suggestions. Unfortunately for us (particularly the developer who went bankrupt and me, hired as editorial director with all the IPO options and a brief vision of millionaire status), the bubble burst a week before he got his promised funding signed up. But the search was nearly complete, the editorial blueprint was great and it has never been achieved. I still mourn the opportunity lost... Years ago, at the beginning of the dotcom revolution, I was involved with a web startup that was designed to start with just that - a search that you could programme with your requirements - a holiday for a £500 budget, within 4 hours flying time, with a good beach, interesting castles, good food and steam trains, and a 4-star hotel. It would do a global search and up would pop a list of suggestions. Unfortunately for us (particularly the developer who went bankrupt and me, hired as editorial director with all the IPO options and a brief vision of millionaire status), the bubble burst a week before he got his promised funding signed up. But the search was nearly complete, the editorial blueprint was great and it has never been achieved. I still mourn the opportunity lost...

]]> By: Tamsin http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/no_travel_ideas_no_trusted_reviews.html/comment-page-1#comment-293 Tamsin Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:30:16 +0000 http://www.travelblather.com/2009/09/weve-still-no-idea-where-to-go.html#comment-293 Mark - agree completely. It's a very big ask. What we need is a LastFM for travel . . . I've come to the conclusion that I need to: a) Talk to my friends and family - who know a lot about me and my family b) Visit a travel agents - if I get the time c) Read a lot of brochures - my postman is not impressed! I'll use online tools for the first bit - and I'll order the brochures online. But at the moment there's no online service / tool that is going to meet my need specifically. It'll come though . . . I'm sure. Mark - agree completely. It's a very big ask. What we need is a LastFM for travel . . .

I've come to the conclusion that I need to:

a) Talk to my friends and family - who know a lot about me and my family
b) Visit a travel agents - if I get the time
c) Read a lot of brochures - my postman is not impressed!

I'll use online tools for the first bit - and I'll order the brochures online. But at the moment there's no online service / tool that is going to meet my need specifically. It'll come though . . . I'm sure.

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