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Name: Touristlink
Quick Pitch: Touristlink is a social network for travelers.
Genius Idea: Social platform allows travelers to meet others, discover new destinations and connect with experts.
Many turn to friends and family for advice and recommendations when traveling to a new destination. But now you can find all the travel information you need through a new social network called Touristlink, which allows travelers to not only meet and connect with other travelers around the world but also get answers from experts.
"Touristlink is a way to communicate with other travelers and travel experts," Dr. David Urmann, CEO of Touristlink, told Mashable. "Right now, no other site gives users a means to communicate with them."
By signing up for Touristlink through Facebook or on the site directly, members can create lists of their favorite destinations and share with friends, suggest new attractions for other travelers and post photos of cities they've traveled to in the past.
Touristlink also provides a list of the top attractions in any city based on member rankings and reviews to help users discover new attractions and hot spots.
To ensure all travel needs are met, Touristlink gives its users full access to its network of local tour guides, travel agencies, city tours, hotel owners and private rentals. If you need any help such as finding a luxury hotel situated on a beach, booking a day tour to Mount Everest or scheduling an airport pickup, just post your request and you'll receive multiple offers from travel experts. Then, you can choose the deal that is best for you.
Touristlink screens each travel expert to confirm their identity before allowing them into the system. Each expert is ranked based on their cheapest rates, services and how active they are.
"The main difference between Touristlink and other travel sites is that we put users in touch with real people," says Urmann. "Users can ask questions to guides and hotel owners, they can add them as friends and develop a relationship with them."
The site is free to use, but it adds a 10% service fee when you book anything through the site. For example, if you book a car service to pick you up at the airport and it costs $50, Touristlink will add the small fee.
Touristlink is currently in public beta and has 1,500 registered members. The site will officially launch in May.
Image courtesy of iStock, Maica
Series Supported by Microsoft BizSpark
The Spark of Genius Series highlights a unique feature of startups and is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark, a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today.
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