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TripHub a service launched with a purpose to create an easy and creative way to plan, share and coordinate gatherings that involve travel has now decided to pull the plug off and go into slumber wishing its customers enjoyable travel and an apology for the end.
The reasons for the closure lay heavily on lack of funding; which comes off as a surprise since the company has shared success from the start with partners that include Orbitz and Alaska. The Blog reads:
We made mistakes, and unfortunately we were impacted by factors beyond our control including the current economic environment and state of the travel industry. We came close to realizing a different outcome for our venture but, as the saying goes, close doesn’t count. At the end of the day, despite a well-received, market-leading product and early success with strategic partners such as Orbitz and Alaska Airlines, we simply ran out of money to continue executing on our vision. We continue to believe there’s a rich opportunity to improve the travel planning experience and, while it’s no longer our destiny, we look forward to watching as others carry on down the path we helped to pave.
Sounds pretty hurtful, but that’s how it ends here, you need to have the cash in to keep a quality service up and running especially in the face of competitors out there (TripSay). The site even makes sure it provides its loyal customers with alternate services which shows that TripHub did focus at its priority; the customers. What else can be save for waving the hands off to the service and hoping they make a return with more partners and even more cash to finance their vision. Some of the sites that have been recommended by them include:
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evite - While there are many upstarts competing for this business (MyPunchbowl et al.), evite remains the granddaddy of online invitation sites. It’s not perfect, but it works and everyone knows how to use it.
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Google Sites - Create a custom Web site for your group or event. Shared discussions, calendars, pictures, documents, privacy settings, etc. Or you might try a wiki or group organization site like WetPaint and Backpackit.
- WeddingChannel - Offers free and fee based sites for organizing your wedding where you can communicate event details, collect RSVPs, recommend hotels, share photos, etc. Similarly MyFamily.com offers free and fee based family sites that may be useful for organizing reunions and vacations with extended family.
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Yahoo Trip Planner - Explore and copy other people’s trips/itineraries and create your own custom travel guide with hotels, activities, restaurants, maps, etc. that you can share with your group (requires Yahoo IDs) or the world. There are several other sites (TripWiser et al.) that allow you to build your own itineraries and remix those of others.
We launched http://travelmob.com/ the day before TripHub’s announcement. TravelMob will have the same core functionality, which is to give people a trip homepage, and manage RSVPs.
Here’s why we feel TravelMob will make it where TripHub didn’t.
-Integrated search and booking of air, hotel, car, and tours. We’ve baked this into the core of the site. Anytime you book a hotel, flight, or car through us, it goes into your trip’s itinerary. If a friend on the trip want’s to book the same flight or stay at the same hotel, there’s a “Fly with Me” or “Book Here” button next to your itinerary.
- Improved UI. We’ve really focused on making it easier to organize your slacker friends for a vacation. 100s of hours of real world testing on our slacker friends have paid off!
- Newsfeed. We’ve got a Facebook style newsfeed which keeps you updated on what people have booked, RSVPs, picture uploads, etc.
- Facebook/Open Social integration. In the coming months, we’ll be extending TravelMob to the FaceBook and Open Social platforms. You’ll be able to create a trip, invite friends, RSVP, from our site or your favorite social network.
- We walk the walk. Half of our team will be on the road taking an around the world trip starting in October. They’ll be using the site to plan, and will be blogging from the road.
You can see screenshots here http://www.slideshare.net/travelmob/travelmobcom-screenshots-presentation/
Let me know what you think of the site, adam@travelmob.com
“keep a quality service up and running especially in the face of competitors out there (TripSay)”
And how was TripSay a competitor? Because they’re also in the travel industry? TechCrunch is friends with them, that’s why they mentioned them as a competitor… they do it on every opportunity they have. You guys should at least see what they do before repeating the same thing.