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The internet has added another layer to traditional travel planning. Instead of mapping things out alone, individuals can turn to the people they know as well as internet users for insight, suggestions, tips and more. This greatly increases the available resources and helps users get a good, unbiased perspective on the best options for their trip. Gogobot is another tool that allows the user to get advice and give it. Through Gogobot, users can create a customized question that includes a specific location. Users can also submit a review of a place they have visited. Reviews can be about anything, from accommodations to local attractions or landmarks. The site also allows users to browse available content by destination, starting with a world map and gradually narrowing down the scope to the user’s desired location.

Gogobot was founded in March of 2010 by Travis Katz and Ori Zaltzman. The team currently consists of less than ten individuals, including CEO Katz, CTO Zaltzman, Board of Directors member Satya Patel and Advisor Chris DeWolfe. Today, Gogobot is based out of Menlo Park, California. Katz was a former MySpace executive and Zaltzman was previously a chief architect for Yahoo! Boss. There is a lot of talent behind Gogobot, and it shows through the concept and design of this handy travel planning application. So far the app has managed to raise $19 million from Redpoint Ventures, Battery Ventures, the CrunchFund and others.

Gogobot encourages users to turn travel planning into a fun, entertaining endeavor. Users can ask very specific questions and get answers from real people who can provide assistance. The site rounds out its offerings with destination information and review submissions from users (who tend to be the most honest source for reviews on the internet).

The Gogobot website design inspires new visitors to fly away to a far off place. The eye-catching logo features a hot air balloon in stripes of green, blue and pink. The website background features an airy white and blue cloud design that elevates the overall appearance of the site. Users can easily navigate using the three main links positioned at the top, center of the homepage. Images of users are also featured throughout.

New users can register for a Gogobot account by clicking on the white “Sign Up” link at the top, right hand corner of the homepage. The user is given three registration options. The first two offer registration through Facebook or Twitter using one of the two buttons found at the top of the sign up form. A small, blue link below the buttons gives the user the ability to create an account using their email address. The form on the following page asks for a full name, password and email address.

Gogobot offers its users a fun, valuable service that can help them plan their next journey with the help of other, real people. The site is an excellent resource; however it relies heavily on the submissions of its user community. Without the user, the site would be extremely limited in its offerings. Luckily, Gogobot gives anyone access to its features for free. There are no subscription fees or other charges for becoming a member.

Gogobot is designed for anyone who has or plans to travel. Users can enhance their travel plans in a way that is fun and social. Others can share information and opinions on their past travels through reviews and question answering. Anyone can love Gogobot, whether they are traveling alone or as a group.

• Ask a specific question associated with a destination
• Search for destinations by starting at country level and working your way down
• Write a review about an attraction, accommodations, restaurant or any other business
• Search for people and places from the Gogobot homepage
• Connect to Gogobot through your Facebook or Twitter accounts

Gogobot video

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