As if Web 2.0 was not befuddling enough, web 3.0 or the “semantic web” or ‘Wikitravel’ is already making the rounds in the dynamic world of Internet buzzwords. Web 3.0, they say, has the potential to unseat search as the most preferred way to look up information on the web. That makes it an important trend especially for travel. Most of us are familiar with wikipedia and its nifty definitions, but where does wikifrenzy fit in the complex online travel market?
The simplest definition of Wikitechnology is collaborative authoring (the term sounds surprisingly familiar). A wiki travel site needs to gain critical mass before it can become a powerful reference tool or the preferred way to plan your trip. Think millions of users editing, composing, sharing and polishing documents or references. Think teamwork and the power of user-generated content and the idea of replacing search does not seem outlandish. One good way to track the progress of a traveltrend is to watch the activities of the major players – the search titans and the power portals. Wikis might prove to be more than a buzzword if web users take to it like they took to reviews, photo-sharing and blogging.