TouristLink – Next Step in Social Travel

5 thoughts on “TouristLink – Next Step in Social Travel”

1. 1. It’s nice to see TouristLink back here again with some changes. As before, I like the friendly, colorful central home page design and the photos. I also like that the site has taken more steps toward defining itself. From the headline and copy, I can now see that your site is geared toward DIY travel, helping people connect with locals and small travel industry businesses in their region of interest. Good job! I’m not sure about calling it a “social marketplace,” however. That implies buying and selling like eBay rather than travel.
    
   2. I like that I can create an account and immediately start using the site instead of having to confirm a link through my email account. I didn’t have any expectations one way or the other, so I can’t say whether they were confirmed or not.
    
   Sure, it’s clear how the site can help. It enables users to connect with like-minded travelers and travel industry professionals around the world. It also allows members to read about, vote up, and review various travel destinations and accommodations, and it offers travel package deals (albeit in a currency I’m not familiar with).
    
   Unfortunately, I still feel like the site is disorganized. For instance, what’s really the difference between the World, Most Popular, and Guide tabs? They all seem to bring me to listings of the most popular places. This doesn’t make sense to me. I can see having one page where destinations and accommodations are organized by popularity, but shouldn’t there be another page where they’re organized alphabetically? Right now, all these pages seem redundant and rather disorganized.
    
   What I’d like to see would look more like this:
    
   1) One page of destinations (i.e., cities), which could be sorted alphabetically or by popularity.
   –Under each of those cities, attractions, divided into categories, which could be sorted alphabetically or by popularity. Also, deals related to those attractions and suggestions for other nearby attractions and accommodations.
   –Under each of those cities, accommodations, which could be sorted alphabetically or by popularity. Also, deals related to those accommodations and suggestions for other nearby accommodations.
    
   2) One page of travel industry professional listings, which could be sorted alphabetically, by location, or by popularity. Also, deals related to those professionals.
    
   3) One page of deals, divided into categories, which could be sorted by popularity.
    
   4) One page of members with advanced search features to identify members with specific interests and travel goals. A discussion forum as an offshoot of this page with a an actual message board instead of just random threads.
    
   One thing I’d get rid of? The redundant pages, as detailed above. One thing I’d keep? The member profiles. They’re pretty well designed.
    
   3. This looks really good! I like that you list the itinerary and accommodations as well as references. I would inquire if I was interested in a Kilimanjaro climb.
    
   4. If anything, maybe you could include some more photos of the guide on tour. But honestly this profile looks great as it is. I can hardly think of anything else to include. It looks professional and inviting. I especially like that there’s contact information and certifications listed.
    
   5. I definitely see some improvements to the site! I really like what you’ve done with the home page, the deals, the professional profiles, and the member profiles. These are all informative and well organized. What I’m still having trouble with is the organization of the destinations and accommodations, as described above. It’s intimidating to try to wade through all of it without better sorting options. I’d also like to see more advanced search features for members. If members are going to connect with each other for hospitality and companionship, they need to be able to search on things like city of residence, interests, languages spoken, and travel destination goals.
    
   It’s nice to see all the improvements you’ve made so far. Good luck!
    

2. 1. I like the colors and the layout but I’m unsure where to go first. There is no call to action. 
   2. It seems like alot of info is being requested. User should be able to create basic account, be told they have successfully signed in and then asked if they would like to continue setting up a profile or go to browse, shop, etc… info could be captured from user as they go along
   3. The number of days/night for this package is not clearly identified. It should be as clear as the available dates and near the price. A clearer outline of accommodation included and comfort level. 
   4. Description identifies the team of ‘sales professionals’ but nothing about the guides or level of services they provide on the tours they offer.
   5. When searching for info on Panama I was offered deals in Goa. There was not much information available on Panama. There are no links from the “places to visit” to hotels. The description in places to visit mentions several locations but it was not obvious that these were links to information pages. Pedasi is noted as the favorite however Pedasi does not appear in the list of towns and villages or popular destinations.
   Overall the site is lacking content. Getting info for places all over the world is a huge task and it does not seem like you have enough of a community behind the project to make this happen organically so it would help to have paid staff researching and validating info or remove it all together.
    

3. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   I think the first page is really nice. I love that the colors are smooth and make you excited to see what touristlink has to offer. 
   2) Sign up for an account is it what you expect? Is it clear how the site can help you? What are suggestions to make better? What is one thing you would get rid of and one thing you would keep?
   Not really that clear on how it can help me, I was kinda confused on why it was asking so much information. With all the information you are requesting, I was ready to exit out of the website.I would keep the basic information, then when someone signs up, you can have an area where they can add some of the information you are requesting as an option.
   3)We are working with the travel providers to help them sell packages.
   Here is an example of one. https://www.touristlink.com/tanzania/kilimanjaro-climb-marangu-route.html
   Can you give suggestions as to what would make you more likely to enquire about the deal?
   I think it looks great, its easy to understand the description as well as the initial information on how long the trip is and the cost.

   4) Here is the profile of the travel provider for the above deal.
   https://www.touristlink.com/user/ashiembi-ndukwe.html
   Any suggestions on other information to include? Or something to remove.
   It seems a little to crowded, like its just so much information or images to grasp. You have Friends, Quick Facts, Deals and offers and Travel List. You need to move most of that to a second page, it seems like your going for social network look but its to jumbled up. 
    
   5) Any other suggestions or feedback regarding navigation or design in general?
   It would be great if this site had a search engine bar to navigate certain things they are looking for on a trip. If I was not sure where I wanted to go and I had to look up each location I would find another website. All in all it seems like a great website.
    

4. 1} Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   The page is very organized, it made me want to sign up. I like how the animated tourist did not take up the whole page. There is diversity on the home page which will attract people from many different races, genders, religions, etc. It was very welcoming and looks promising. The color schemes make the page that much more intriguing.
   2} Sign up for an account is it what you expect? Is it clear how the site can help you?
    What are suggestions to make better? What is one thing you would get rid of and one thing you would keep?
   The sign up process was a bit long. Usually when a sign up process is long for certain people they just end up not finishing what they started. I rarely ever go into anything expecting too much. The site is very clear about how it can help me. If you take all the information that i gave in the sign up portion about what I like and found others who liked the same things and then suggested that I friend them on the site that would get people more active with the site at a faster pace. There is nothing that I would change. The site is easy to navigate around.
   3} We are working with the travel providers to help them sell packages.
   Here is an example of one. https://www.touristlink.com/tanzania/kilimanjaro-climb-marangu-route.html
   Can you give suggestions as to what would make you more likely to enquire about the deal?
   If I knew the limit of people that I could bring. Would the price of $1,265 be for one person or a whole group of individuals. How much would the extra charges like Lunch on the last day, Climbing equipment, and the extra 6th day cost be? Also would I have to transfer my US dollars to Tanzanian shilling? 

   4}Here is the profile of the travel provider for the above deal.
   https://www.touristlink.com/user/ashiembi-ndukwe.html Any suggestions on other information to include? Or something to remove.
   They could include links to their near future tours. They could also add more feedback from people who have had their services.
   5} Any other suggestions or feedback regarding navigation or design in general?
   The sign up process should be shortened as much as possible. People should be suggested to friend individuals who have visited the same places and share the same interests after they have completed the sign up process. The directions where easy to follow. It seems like everything was just about perfect.

5. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   I like the photographs of the different people, its gives the site a nice touch, I think the facebook sign should be reduced in size and post under the sign and log in links. The pictures are nice, I would try to add a nice slide show displaying other photo’s as well, would give the website visitor more of an idea of what places they can travel to.
    
   2) Sign up for an account is it what you expect? Is it clear how the site can help you? What are suggestions to make better? What is one thing you would get rid of and one thing you would keep? Signing up is not what I expected, Its a network similar to facebook, I was under the impression by the overall website, that this is for travelers looking for wonderful places of the world to travel to, and they can select guides, and get great packages, along with tours.  I would provide a glimpse of the real people that belong to the site. Provide live info on new people that have joined and how long its been since they joined, like 5 seconds ago, one day ago, or weeks. I would keep the recent album section, very interesting and will draws others attention also. Signing up should be faster, visitors to websites become overwhelmed when the see all the info the site is requesting, but it super nice, you can save the profile and go to the next step, so you can come back later if you wish to.
    
   3)We are working with the travel providers to help them sell packages.
   Here is an example of one. https://www.touristlink.com/tanzania/kilimanjaro-climb-marangu-route.html
   Can you give suggestions as to what would make you more likely to enquire about the deal? I would correct the spelling “enquire” it should be “inquire” The travel host has been apart of this since 2011, I would be seeking a guide with at least five years of experience. The itinerary section can be replaced with illustrations on what you can expect from day one through day five, include pictures of exotic food and drinks, and activities.
    
   4) Here is the profile of the travel provider for the above deal.
   https://www.touristlink.com/user/ashiembi-ndukwe.html
   Any suggestions on other information to include? Or something to remove.
   I would try to increase his years of experience,maybe the years he has known the different area can substitute him only having a year of experience  a guide,visitors will want be reassured that they are in good hands.
    
   5) Any other suggestions or feedback regarding navigation or design in general? The font that you are using should be in bold letters it would make the site appear to be more professional.
   Thanks for everyones help. This is the 3rd time we have put the site up for review and each time we have gotten a lot of great suggestions many of which we have implemented

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