I wrote about the social network initiated by the Austrian National Tourist Office called Coolaustria. Its official launch is due by mid-September. Unfortunately, I am not very optimistic about its future. Prove me wrong if you will, but since its beta launch in May I have not noticed any improvement.
I am equally pessimistic about the new social web projects by the Austrian Railway Company ÖBB (which I otherwise love, especially their podcast) and by Austrian Airlines. The ÖBB want customers to create an Austrian travel wiki. Austrian Airlines wants customers to add their international travel tips to the new Austrian Reiseforum. And why should they do that? Where is the value for a consumer to become a content producing prosumer?
I first read about these new projects on Helge Fahrnberger’s blog who cites Bokardo’s rule:
Personal value precedes network value.
What this means is that if we are to build networks of value, then each
person on the network needs to find value for themselves before they
can contribute value to the network. In the case of Del.icio.us, people
find value saving their personal bookmarks first and foremost. All
other usage is secondary.
Another thing that I find very odd: How come Austrian tourism companies chose agencies with no experience in the web 2.0 – or whatever you may call it – to realize and implement social web projects? It really beats my mind.
Tu felix Austria? I am afraid not!
Tu felix Canada, Holland and New Zealand? Much more so!
- Web 2.0 & Destination marketing – Holland.com leads the Way
- The Social Web in Destination Marketing – Canada & New Zealand relaunch
- Travel 2.0 & User Generated Content in Destination Marketing – Interview with William Bakker from Tourism British Columbia
This was my traditional English post on Monday. More to come in my English category. Every Monday, I promise!
Über Karin Schmollgruber /passion PR: Die Pionierin für Online-Kommunikation ist Vortragende, Seminar-Leiterin für den Einsatz von Social Media und (PR-)Beraterin – mit Schwerpunkt Tourismusbranche. Zu ihren Kunden gehören u.a. Österreichische Hoteliervereinigung, APA-OTS Tourismuspresse, Katla Travel und Hotels in D/A/CH. Seit 2006 bloggt die Austro-Chilenin & studierte Juristin auf fastenyourseatbelts.at über Do’s und Don’ts in Social Media und Online-Kommunikation. Für noch mehr handfeste Umsetzungstipps bestellen Sie ihren Newsletter auf passionpr.at/impuls
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Yes karin. Internet needs to improve the software very fast. Destinations believe is better to develop its own systems, but they are public administrations! perhaps the organizations more slow. if they want to offer a competitive system, i think they must work with ASP.
regards,
edu
Hi Edward,
Well, I am not quite sure. I suspect money is a factor. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks Karin for your critical comment. Espacially your refering to Helge´s comment brings it to the point: what is the value for somebody to open his privacy in the www? The only suitable answer: Only when there is a return on investment for himself, for the time and the engagement to produce content which possibly might not be interessting for anybody else. This is not only valid for travel communities – each social web-platform has to follow to this rule. If not – there is no chance to develop as “living community”.
You know that coolaustria.com is “under construction”. It is still a beta version and our partner ist still working on an improvement of the beta version. And at the moment we (Austrian National Tourist Office) develop our new social web strategie for the next few years. You know, that there was an organisational change in our company and also the responsible persons for online-strategy and e-marketing have changed a few weeks ago.
Please – give us some more time to find the best solutions for future social web activities of our organisations. You will be one of the first who are informed when we know more about this. Do you agree?
Martin,
Let me assure you, I will be the first one to rejoice, if I am prooven wrong. As of now, I do not see it happening. The official launch is due in 5 weeks. Way to go, folks.
These travelsites, even the ones you mention to be succesfull, like http://www.holland.com will never be succesfull. These sites are simply no social networks: people often travel to a destionation once and why should they start blogging, post videoos and more? There is simple no personal reason for tourists do to so as they have no bonding, like people have with youtube or tripadvisor.com . Holland.com uses already “hired” bloggers, the activities on this recently started site are low and so on. Hey folks, stop waisting our tax money! Only if European countries are starting to work together on a European web2.0 project, there may be change of succes. In the end the private sector, like ad-hoc cooperation between hotelchains and airlines, working closely togehter with local initiatives/people, will take over these activities and (unfortunately for them) the traditional tourist boards are doomed to dissappear…
Ronald, I am delighted for you to comment and putting it so bluntly. Will reply on Monday.
on vacation and not sure to read your blog for the next 3 weeks, but after that i will check your answer. I am not trying to be blunt, but only clear. In many countries i see tax payers money wasted by national tourist boards and governments, so consider this my crusade against the establishment. They simply are too stubborn to change and face the new information era!