Take a look at how we might be planning business trips in the very near future. The video below plans some ground-based activities of a leisure trip, but you’ll quickly see how this tool could be used in a business setting. What are the implications for travel procurement? Watch the video, then see my first thoughts at the end of this post.
Those clever chaps at Google and the travel experts at Lonely Planet have teamed up to create Trippy. It’s a combination of Google’s Wave messaging platform, Google Maps and Lonely Planet profiles and reviews. Take a look:
It looks like a cool way to plan the ground-based part of a trip. Here’s a few ways this tool could integrate with travel procurement:
- Use it to preference hotels in the area
- Make it easier to coordinate preferred ground transportation among travelers
- Help folks find nearby video conferencing facilities (demand management)
Just add an airline and hotel search widget in here, and you’re looking at a whole new way to plan business trips. Planning doesn’t generate much revenue for these guys, but bookings would. It seems to me that’s a logical extension of this tool. What do you think?
Gillespie's Guide to Travel Innovation 
Hi Scott. This looks a bit like the hotel RFP tool you demonstrated in San Diego – same basic kind of mashup but for a slightly different purpose. Still, it’s all buying. Some TMCs are trying to do the same kind of mapping with a corporation’s preferreds, but w/out as much functionality. I like!
Thank you, Scott. It does look clever, but I wonder whether it is quick enough for business travel use. Perhaps it will work best for travelers without any managed travel program. Managed programs will direct the hotel/price/locations. It strikes me as being more about communication with fellow travelers prior to a trip than managing a trip and its cost. We’ll have to see more of it to know.
Re John: The TMCs should definitely take a look at this tool. It is an open source platform, so who knows what kind of functionality could be packed into this thing…fun to think about!
Re Tom: You’re right – this really is a planning tool, and not yet suited for managed travel programs. But given that it is a very user-friendly tool, and an open-source one, perhaps we’ll see it morph into a variety of travel planning and purchasing.
Thanks, guys, for engaging on this topic!
Looks like a great tool, I would agree with everyone here doesn’t seem to have much practical use in managed programs but I can see it as a social media planning tool and for commercial use.
Thanks for the post.
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