World-First recommendation widgets for adventure travel? Australian entrepreneur challenges the tourism industry.

Alleviating the potential effects of flight price increases and route cancellations for travel operators: Co-founder of travel website bugbitten.com has the online solution.

Australian entrepreneur Shawn Pittman has recently strengthened his company’s online marketing support for the tourism industry through providing free, and what is considered to be World-First recommendation widgets. 36 year old Mr Pittman believes that when travel operators use these free recommendation widgets they will get closer to customers; increase sales conversions and; tap into the viral benefits of social networking sites like Facebook.

Mr Pittman explains: “It’s so crucial right now in the current economic downturn for travel operators to create a more direct and interactive communication channel.” He believes that the consumer behaviour is rapidly changing: “Today, customers want a more authentic and honest experience, they now rely on recommendations from other travellers, not just on the marketing copy.” A recent survey released by Tourism Australia highlighted that recommendations were a significant influencing factor in trip planning for travellers.

Already, Europe based travel operator Busabout Adventures has responded quickly to these increasing customer demands for real recommendations. Last month, Busabout Adventures (owned by The Travel Corporation, a National Travel Industry award winner for three consecutive years), launched an update to their website featuring travellers’ recommendations and testimonials, captured and displayed using the world-first adventure travel recommendation widgets created by bugbitten.com.

Busabout Adventures’ international marketing manager Graeme Ward reveals that using these recommendation widgets was a key part of the company’s new online marketing strategy and a response to the increasing pressure to keep up with emerging travel trends. He explains: “It provided independent functionality to our passengers that we can’t provide ourselves.” Mr Ward also feels that the embracing of this new technology “keeps the site fresh and gives our potential pax an independent sounding board to check on our trips.” And according to Mr Ward, the implementation of these widgets was an “easy peasy” and clearly guided process.

For further media enquiries or to arrange an interview please contact Travis Pittman (Shawn’s European-based co-founder) on +43 650 5222 782 or [email protected]