Dopplr, the online service for smarter travel, today shared the results of its recent research into the travel patterns and preferences of the world’s best-connected frequent travellers. Two insights stand out in the research:
- First, how early in the decision process digital influencers share their travel plans. When people share a trip through Dopplr, 2/3 have not yet booked a hotel and half have not made any travel arrangements at all (e.g. plane or train reservations). - Second, the importance of recommendations in key travel decisions. Over 95% of digital influencers claimed to be strongly or slightly influenced by recommendations in their choice of hotels and restaurants.
Other key findings of the study include:
- Dopplr travellers prefer unique travel experiences with over 40% going for boutique hotels when they travel, and 25% choosing a trusted chain - Dopplr travellers are highly educated, and compared to traditional frequent travellers they are younger, earn more, and travel more often
Dopplr may have the most international social graph of any social network. Over half the people on Dopplr share trips with a person from another country. Over 2/3 of the users are from outside of the United States with half of the users coming from Europe, and Asia Pacific growing quickly. London, New York, San Francisco, Paris and Berlin are the top destination cities. However, as the plot of all Dopplr destinations in 2008 at the very top of this post shows, the tail of destinations is long and covers the entire globe.
For a full summary of key findings please see: http://blog.dopplr.com/2009/05/11/data-how-the-dopplr-community-travels/
The research – conducted in collaboration with m1ndset, an independent Swiss market research agency – is based on two traveller surveys conducted over the last year, m1ndset independent research into international frequent travellers at airports around the world, and analysis of aggregate travel patterns of the Dopplr community.
Dopplr presents this collective intelligence – the travel patterns, tips and advice of the world’s most frequent travellers – as a social atlas; which can be accessed on a personal computer and a mobile phone.
Dopplr is a service for smart travellers. Dopplr members share personal and business travel plans privately with their networks, and exchange tips on places to stay, eat and explore in cities around the world.
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Dopplr is proud to introduce Dopplr – The Social Atlas for iPhone. There are lots of travel guides for mobile phones, but Dopplr’s is different because everything on it has been created by the smart travellers who use Dopplr. Over the past couple of years, these travellers have been helping Dopplr to build a thing they call “the Social Atlas”. It is the combined wisdom of these frequent travellers, people who know a good hotel, a nice restaurant, and an interesting place to explore when they see one. Wherever anyone is in the world, he/she can call up his/hers current location and find the nearest places that Dopplr travellers have recommended. If the person is hungry, open the app and find a cafe. If he/she is tired, it will help him/her locate the nearest hotel. And if the person has got time to kill, find something interesting to see or experience. The app is not just a view of the atlas, it is also a means of adding new places to the database. By just tapping the blue locator, it would allow people to enter the details of the fantastic new bar they are standing in. Travel tips are added to what Dooplr know already, and automatically shared with fellow travellers. People do not even need to be on Dopplr to use the iPhone app. If iPhone users are simply doing some travel planning for a forthcoming business trip or family getaway, there is plenty of useful information built-in, including Dopplr’s recommendations for 250 of the world’s most popular cities. Any places added will be stored on the iPhone, so these can be easily found again when needed. And if the user joins Dopplr at a later date, all those new places will be uploaded and added to the Social Atlas. If the user is a Dopplr traveller, he/she can keep an eye on his/hers fellow travellers with the iPhone too. Check where friends are now, and where they will be going next. Look for co-incidences, where people might all be in the same place at the same time. And stay in touch, by sending messages to them directly from inside the app. This is just the start. Dopplr is already working on more features for the app, which will appear in future updates. The app can be downloaded for free by following the link on the iTunes App Store.
Dopplr is a service for smart travellers. Dopplr members share travel plans privately with people they trust, and exchange tips on places to stay, eat and explore in cities around the world.
http://www.dopplr.com/
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Simply put, green travel is travel in which a positive environmental impact is kept to a maximum and a negative environmental impact is kept to a minimum. Keeping your carbon footprint as tiny as possible while traveling will help preserve the entire planet, including that favorite vacation spot you always visit. That being said, traveling green sounds like something any traveler would be interested in, right? Right, but although many travelers may be interested in Green Travel it can seem a little intimidating or complicated and not everyone knows where to start. SO, I put together this Green Travel Plan that makes traveling green easy for anyone, no matter what their shade of green. What’s even better is you don’t have to camp out in the jungle or hike from place to place to make an impact (unless of course, that’s what you’re into). Remember, every little bit counts and following any or all of these steps will add up to a world of change.
A Green Travel Plan for Everyone and Every Trip
Before You Go: Help be a part of the solution by booking with a green organization like the Green Travel Hub by RezHub.com; they actually donate 20% of the proceeds from every trip to an environmental group so that every trip can make a difference. They donate whether the travel you choose is labeled green or not.
Consider booking with Green Travel Options like green hotels, hybrid rental cars, and carbon offsetting programs. RezHub also offers all these programs.
When renting a car, choose Enterprise. They not only have the largest selection of hybrid and fuel efficient cars available for rent, they also take huge steps for the environment. They’ve pledged to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years, they donate millions to alternative fuel research, and the list goes on.
Look for hotels with a green certifications or a “Green Score.” In the Green Score program, hotels can earn points and Green Branches for each environmental program they have in place. While some hotels may only have one leaf, keep in mind that even one leaf is a step in the right direction. It’s important to support the green efforts that each hotel takes because it shows management that they are doing the right thing, and it encourages further expansion of green programs. Remember, where one leaf sprouts, another is sure to follow!
Offset your Carbon Footprint. Choosing to go carbon neutral is one of the gateways to responsible travel. It’s easy to do, and it’s inexpensive! We suggest offsetting your carbon footprint with Sustainable Travel International and MyClimate. Their program is the best we’ve seen in that it’s comprehensive and supports both kinds of offsetts. They’ll let you calculate your exact offset, or you can choose a standard donation from all the way up to 0.
While You’re There: Plan to green-up your stay, and feel good about where you’re going. These are some really simple steps you can take to help green up your stay, even if you didn’t book with a Green Scored Hotel • Encourage the hotel you chose to go green or thank them for the green programs that they participate in! Speak with the management and let them know that green options are important to you. • If your hotel has a sheets and towels reuse program, use it. If they don’t, start your own! Let housekeeping know that you don’t need them to replace your sheets and towels every day; this will reduce energy and water usage. • Turn off the lights, air conditioner or heater, and the electronics in your room while you’re out. • Turn off the water when you brush your teeth, and take shorter showers. • Bring your own toiletries, or if you use what the hotel provides make sure to take what’s leftover home with you.
Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints… • When you’re visiting a park or any natural setting, don’t disturb the plants or wildlife. • Never buy anything made from an endangered animal or plant. • Make sure you save any trash until you find a garbage can, and wherever possible save your recyclables for a recycling drop-off. Check out http://www.earth911.org to find a recycling drop off center in the US.
Go local… • Whenever you can, shop and buy from the local vendors. This helps support the local economy, and submerges you in the areas culture. • Try to avoid the large chains that carry goods shipped in from overseas. All that shipping creates tons of CO2 and the large chains can push the locals out of business (if you wanted to shop at Wal-Mart you could’ve stayed home, right?) .
Give back… • Consider volunteering some time on your trip. Spending even just one day volunteering makes a difference. Contact not-profit organizations in the area and set something up before you go. • Check out the Volunteer Travel Hub where you can find the perfect place to lend a hand. These bite-sized volunteer vacations (short term) are free and can be included on any trip!
When You Get Home: Write a letter or send an email to the hotel you stayed in, the airline you flew and the rental car company you chose. Thank them for going green or encourage them to do so.
Send an email to greentravel@rezhub.com or post to RezHub.com’s Green Travel Forums, if you tell them about how you turned your trip green, you might even win a FREE trip!
Keep these tips in mind while you’re at home too, conserving resources almost always saves you green in the long run. And remember, it really is true that every little bit counts. If each of us took just one of these steps, imagine the difference it would make. I’ll end with a quote from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Melissa Evans is an avid environmentalist and the Marketing Director for RezHub.com. Having experience in both the environmental and travel industries, she is a green travel expert.
Travel responsibly with these 9 simple travel planning tips.
1. Know what responsible travel is. Responsible travel simply means traveling with not only your own needs in mind, but also the needs of your destination. Responsible travelers realize that when they travel, they are entering someone else’s home, whether they literally visit someone or not. Responsible travelers treat others as those people would like to be treated, and they care for the environment in their destination as they would care for their own home and community.
2. Think: What exactly do you want to experience? You’re about to travel, and you’re looking at an array of possibilities: new people, intriguing places, and the hope of memorable experiences. What are you interests? What do you love to see, feel, do, taste? Why have you chosen your particular destination? Whom would you love to meet? What would make this trip really memorable for you? Once you know that, you can create ways to get the most of those very special experiences out of your trip.
3. Go surfing – and read! Do some searching online for resources specializing in sustainable travel, or responsible travel, in your destination. You can seek out resources on ecotourism, too; just be aware of the pitfalls of “greenwashing.” (See Number 4, below.) Some guidebooks can be very helpful in your planning, as well. Rough Guides and Lonely Planet guidebooks (as well as others) are oriented toward sustainable travel, and they give you a great overview and starting point for your planning.
4. Reach out and ask key questions. Once you know where you’d like to stay and what you’d like to do, get in direct touch with the people providing the services. Tell them it’s important to you to travel responsibly and that you’d like some information about their property or service. Have they received any eco-awards? Do they have an eco-rating? What is their environmental policy? You can also ask if they’ve received any “green” certification. There are several certification programs such as Green Globe and the EcoGreen Award; many more have been created by communities and countries around the world. The standards of these programs vary, and as yet, there are no universal “eco” standards. However, just by seeking out a hotel, restaurant or tour operator who has taken some steps toward sustainability, you’ll be making a better choice. But watch out for “greenwashing,” the whitewashing of goods and services that are not environmentally sound to make them look as if they are. Remember: Although a tour company may seem responsible, its practices may not be environmentally or culturally responsible. You can find out whether a business is environmentally and socially responsible by doing a little research — and asking questions.
5. Choose carefully! Your decisions are important. All your travel decisions are important: they add up to your total impact on your destination, both environmentally and socially. Choose carefully. Some businesses are certified, and some are not. Even without certification, they can state their policy on responsibility and sustainability.
6. Plan with the environment in mind. As much as we travelers love the call of the open road, we also know our transportation, if powered by anything other than ourselves, is contributing to excessive CO2 in the environment, and thereby to global warming. Being responsible travelers, we don’t want to do that. So think about offsetting the carbon emitted by your trip by purchasing carbon-offset credits. In fact, think about offsetting the energy you use in everyday living. You”ll be supporting programs that neutralize our use of fossil fuels, thus helping to reduce global warming. One such well-rated program is My Climate. Others include Native Energy and terrapass. Check them out and see which you prefer. For more information on carbon offsets and how they work, visit the FAQ page of Sustainable Travel International by clicking here. And don’t forget the local ecology. For example, will you be hiking through natural areas? Of course, you’ll want water to drink. How about bringing just one water bottle and a supply of water purification tablets? They work just fine, and your thoughtfulness will be a significant help to a local area that may not have the infrastructure to take care of the thousands of plastic water bottles left by visitors.
7. Prepare yourself: Learn some lingo If you’re visiting another place, whether at home or abroad, you’re visiting someone else’s home. That’s the fact. And the more you remember that, the easier it’ll be for you to make friends and contacts. So learn some expressions in the local language. You don’t need to be fluent. But there’s no doubt that your trip will be far more exciting, and people you meet will be far more interested in you, if you speak some of their language. For tips on learning language for travel, check out my 5 Sure-Fire Tips for Learning a Foreign Language, available at www.peacethroughtravel.net.
8. Prepare yourself: Learn the basics of the local culture How do people prefer to be addressed in the country you’re visiting? Do they shake hands? Do they bow? Do they drink alcohol? How do women carry themselves? How are you expected to behave toward a woman? These are all questions that are worth taking the time to answer. Your understanding of how local people behave and interact will add fun, adventure, and plenty of social interaction to your travel experience. A note on clothing: We all like to be comfortable when we travel, and as Americans we’re particularly used to dressing as comfortably as we like. Abroad, however, responsible travelers keep local mores in mind. As a rule, particularly in developing countries, dress conservatively. If it’s important to you to connect with people you meet, it’ll help to leave the shorts and sneakers at home; they both scream “Tourist!” Wear lightweight shirts (not T-shirts), lightweight slacks, and comfortable walking shoes, instead. Women, for travel in rural developing areas, think long skirts and covered shoulders. At the very least, be sure to have a shawl. It’s important to balance comfort with respect – and avoid the blatant tourist tip-offs.
9. Prepare yourself: Rev up your sense of adventure! Use the web, use your books, contact professionals – and then tap into your own passions and creativity. Venture off the beaten path. Get yourself thinking the way local people think. Leave your usual routine at home. After all, that’s why you traveled, isn’t it? And always expect the unexpected! Yes, the a/c might break down. You may not like the meal you ordered. You might get lost. But if you’ve done your homework – you know the lay of the land, you know what safety precautions to take, you have your maps and books, and you know what to expect from the people you meet – you’ll be fine.
And just think: Oh, the stories you’ll bring home with you!
Linda Rivero, president of Peace Through Travel® Radio and Women Travel for Peace, publishes Responsible W.O.R.L.D. Traveler, a FREE e-zine on culturally authentic and responsible travel. Want to be a mindful traveler and help your planet as you explore it? Enjoy free tips and resources on responsible travel worldwide with your FREE subscription at http://www.peacethroughtravel.net . Linda is at lrivero@peacethroughtravel.net.
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