Travellers who
It’s a big world out there, with much to explore, so travel websites with crowd-sourced reviews make a good tool for those planning a vacation.
PLANNING ahead is always best for your holiday. The most important thing, arguably, is deciding where to stay and what to see or do at the destinations you have picked. Of course, choosing the destination is the first thing to determine.
It’s easier these days to do research as we have the Internet and travel websites to turn to. TripAdvisor, for instance, has an impressive 280 million unique monthly visitors with over 170 million reviews and opinions covering more than four million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. Little wonder it’s the world’s largest travel site.
It’s pretty much human nature that you would probably trust a fellow traveller’s review over endorsements from other sources. And TripAdvisor, with its large database of reviews, seems a pretty good option to check out.
But what is the appeal of contributing and writing a review, you may ask. Two of TripAdvisor’s top reviewers in Malaysia with different travel styles share the reasons that motivate them to document their travel experiences on TripAdvisor.
Joshua Tan, 43, is a Kuala Lumpur-based freelance website developer, mobile app developer and Android programming trainer by profession, and an avid explorer outside of work. He is also TripAdvisor’s top reviewer in Malaysia for “Most Attractions Reviews” and “Most Trips Abroad Reviews” under the pseudonym “JoshShoeString”. These awards say a lot about his love for travelling which often includes off-the-beaten-path adventures like covering a total of 800km – from Medan to Drasdadi, in Sumatra, Indonesia – on a motorbike.
It all began in 2008 when Tan was researching the best travel deals and tips. He soon realised that physical travel guides usually only feature the advice of one writer and may not contain the latest information about a destination. He also started becoming more wary about marketing brochures from hospitality organisations which would showcase their best photos. He then stumbled upon TripAdvisor. “After that first encounter with TripAdvisor, I’ve not looked back and TripAdvisor is now an indispensable trip-planning tool before, during, and after my travels,” he says, adding that TripAdvisor provides a fairly accurate sense of a place.
For Tan, going from consumer to reviewer was a natural progression as he had benefited substantially from TripAdvisor. He remarks: “Simply put, this is my way of giving back – by helping others plan the perfect trip and sharing what I’ve experienced during my travels, including the good and the bad.”
He is also active in TripAdvisor’s forum, often exchanging with other travellers useful information about budget-friendly accom-