TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor

Type of site	Travel and restaurant website
Available in	Multiple languages
Owner	TripAdvisor LLC
Commercial	Yes
Registration	Optional
Launched	February 2000
Current status	Active

TripAdvisor is an American travel and restaurant website company that provides reviews and other content related to travel services and destinations. Founded in February 2000 by Stephen Kaufer, Langley Steinert, and several others, TripAdvisor originally began as a business-to-business resource but was quickly pivoted to a consumer-focused model. It is headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts.

History

TripAdvisor was an early adopter of user-generated content. The website services are free to users, who provide most of the content, and the website is supported by a hotel booking facility and an advertising business model. TripAdvisor went public in 2011 and was spun off from its parent company, Expedia Inc.

Features

TripAdvisor's website and mobile app provide users with the tools to:

• Post reviews and photos of their experiences
• Read and compare reviews of hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other travel-related services
• Book hotels, vacation rentals, flights, and cruises
• Access forums for travel advice and tips

Impact

TripAdvisor has been influential in the travel industry, affecting how travelers make planning decisions. The platform has faced criticism and legal scrutiny for the reliability of its reviews, as it has been reported that some reviews could be biased or manipulated.

Controversies

The site has been involved in various controversies, including cases of fraudulent reviews and businesses manipulating their ratings. TripAdvisor has implemented several measures to detect and remove fake reviews and to penalize businesses that attempt to manipulate their ratings.

See also

• Yelp
• Booking.com
• Expedia