"Streaming for Holiday Travel" article
Editor's Note: The following excerpts are from a StreamingMedia.Com article titled Streaming for Holiday Travel. StreamingMedia.Com is the leading resource for professionals seeking industry news, information, articles, directories and services related to streaming media. Everyone at TripSmarter.Com is proud to have been featured in an article published by industry leaders, StreamingMedia.Com.
One such site is TripSmarter.Com, which allows user postings of favorite locations alongside hotel and restaurant video reviews. TripSmarter.Com focuses on Southeastern US cities, such as Atlanta, GA; Myrtle Beach, SC; Key West, FL; and New Orleans, LA. Some of the video reviews show “Top 5 picks” for restaurants in particular towns, but the highest rated videos are from travelers or aspiring amateur tour guides.
Besides the video clips, TripSmarter.Com has live Webcams showing some of the cities it highlights, plus a unique streaming audio feature called “Speak Like a Local.” The RealAudio clips allow non-natives to hear local pronunciations of particular words such as Versailles, Kentucky, which is pronounced “ver-sales” rather than the traditional “ver-sigh”.
These user-review video clips are part of a growing trend in the travel industry to use streaming video and audio. As noted in a StreamingMedia.Com article in 2001, travel videos evoke a visceral response in potential buyers as well heightening anticipation of an upcoming trip for those who have already purchased a vacation package
Convention and Visitors Bureaus are also championing the use of streaming media to attract visitors to their communities. One poignant clip on the TripSmarter.Com site, labeled “Christmas in New Orleans” shows a Christmas tradition in one of the city’s parks. While it has traditionally been a walking/driving tour, the city has limited it to a walking-only tour this year. The video conveys the spirit New Orleans has cultivated throughout the years, reminding anyone who views that clips that–while New Orleans may have to scale back the celebrations in this time of rebuilding–they want the world to know they’re still open for business.
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