Wikitravel 337619 224971074 2008-07-11T06:49:19Z Jpatokal 8155 {{Infobox Website | name = Wikitravel | logo = [[Image:wikitravel.png|150px]] | screenshot = | caption = The free travel guide | url = http://wikitravel.org/ | commercial = | type = [[Wiki]] | language = 18 languages | registration = | owner = The copyright of the content is owned by the individual authors, but the domain, server, and trademarks are owned by [[Internet Brands]]. | author = Evan Prodromou, Michele Ann Jenkins | launch date = | current status = | revenue = }} '''Wikitravel''' is a [[World Wide Web|Web]]-based project "to create a [[free content|free]], complete, up-to-date, and reliable worldwide [[guide book|travel guide]]."<ref> {{cite web |title=Wikitravel mainpage |publisher=Wikitravel.org |url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page |accessdate=2008-07-03}} </ref> Launched in July 2003 by Evan Prodromou and Michele Ann Jenkins, the website is based upon the [[wiki]] model, using the [[Creative Commons]] Attribution ShareAlike license. In 2006 [[Internet Brands]] bought the enterprise and later introduced advertising to the content pages of the website. Wikitravel received a [[Webby Award]] for Best Travel Website in 2007. That same year Wikitravel's founders began '''Wikitravel Press''' which publishes printed travel guides based on the website's content. The first print guides were released on [[February 1]], [[2008]]. ==Description== Using a [[wiki]] model, Wikitravel is built through collaboration of ''Wikitravellers'' from around the globe. Articles can cover any level of geographic specificity, from continents to districts of a city. These are logically connected in a hierarchy, by specifying that the location covered in one article "is in" the larger location described by another. The project also includes articles on travel-related topics, phrasebooks for travelers, and suggested itineraries. Wikitravel is a multilingual project available in 18 languages, with each language-specific project developed independently. ==History== Wikitravel was started in [[July 2003]] by Evan Prodromou and Michele Ann Jenkins, inspired in part by [[Wikipedia]].<ref>[http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:Milestones WikiTravel Milestones]</ref> The project uses the [[MediaWiki]] software, which is also used by Wikipedia. However, Wikitravel is not a [[Wikimedia]] project; it was begun and is operated independently. Unlike Wikipedia, it uses the [[Creative Commons]] Attribution ShareAlike license rather than the [[GNU Free Documentation License]]. Among other things, this more easily allows individuals, tourism agencies, etc. to make free reprints of individual pages. Although both Wikipedia and Wikitravel are [[free content]] resources, because of the incompatible licenses, content cannot be freely copied between them. Wikitravel's different objectives have also resulted in different policies and content guidelines. For example, Wikitravel eschews a neutral point of view requirement, as it is written from the point of view of a traveler, and instead encourages editors to "be fair." On [[April 20]], [[2006]], Wikitravel announced that it and [[World66]] – another open-content travel guide – had been acquired by [[Internet Brands]].<ref>{{cite press release | publisher = [[Internet Brands]]| date = 20 April, 2006 |title = Internet Brands Acquires Wikitravel And World66 Online Travel Guides| url = http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=27587&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=845378 }} </ref> The new owner hired Prodromou and Jenkins to continue managing Wikitravel as a consensus-based project. They explained that Internet Brands' long-term plan was for Wikitravel to continue to focus on collaborative, objective guides, while World66 would focus more on personal experiences and reviews. As a result many authors of the German language community decided to [[Fork (software development)|fork]] the [[:wikitravel:de:Hauptseite|German Wikitravel]], which was released on [[December 10]], [[2006]] as [[Wikivoyage]]. On [[April 1]], [[2008]] Internet Brands added [[AdWords|Google advertising]] to Wikitravel, with an opt-out mechanism for registered users. On [[May 1]], [[2007]] Wikitravel received the [[Webby Award]] for Best Travel Website.<ref>[http://www.webbyawards.com/webbys/current.php#webby_entry_travel Webby Award]</ref> On [[August 3]], [[2007]], Prodromou, Jenkins and long-time contributor Jani Patokallio started '''Wikitravel Press''', a company that produces and sells print guidebooks based on material contributed to Wikitravel. The first Wikitravel Press guides, ''Chicago'' and ''Singapore'', were officially launched on [[February 1]], [[2008]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wikitravelpress.com/pr/20080201 | title=Wikitravel Press launches first printed Wikitravel guidebook| publisher=www.wikitravelpress.com|date=[[2008-02-01]] |accessdate=2008-02-01}}</ref> Content in these guidebooks is available under the same Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license that Wikitravel material is licensed under.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wikitravel.org/en/Wikitravel:3_August_2007 | title=Wikitravel:3 August 2007| publisher=www.wikitravel.org|date=[[2007-08-03]] |accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> ===Milestones=== * [[December 23]], [[2005]] — 10,000 articles across all versions * [[June 11]], [[2006]] — 10,000 articles on the English version * [[September 29]], [[2006]] — 20,000 articles across all versions * [[April 20]], [[2007]] — 30,000 articles across all versions * [[May 1]], [[2007]] — Wikitravel wins [[Webby Awards|Webby Award]] for Best Travel Website * [[May 27]], [[2007]] — 15,000 articles on the English version * [[February 1]], [[2008]] — Publication of first printed Wikitravel Press guides == References == {{reflist}} == External Links == * [http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page Wikitravel] (''English version'') * [http://wikitravelpress.com/ Wikitravel Press] * [http://mycroft.mozdev.org/developer/devlist.html?email=winkywankywoo%40hotmail.com Wikitravel Search Plugin For Firefox] [[Category:Creative Commons-licensed works]] [[Category:Travel websites]] [[Category:Tourism]] [[Category:Wiki communities]] [[Category:Internet services supporting OpenID]] [[Category:MediaWiki websites]] [[ar:ويكي ترافيل]] [[ca:Wikitravel]] [[cs:Wikitravel]] [[da:Wikitravel]] [[de:Wikitravel]] [[es:Wikitravel]] [[eo:Vikivojaĝo]] [[fr:Wikitravel]] [[hi:विकियात्रा]] [[id:Wikitravel]] [[it:Wikitravel]] [[lt:Vikikelionės]] [[ln:Wikitravel]] [[hu:Wikitravel]] [[nl:Wikitravel]] [[ja:ウィキトラベル]] [[oc:Wikitravel]] [[pl:Wikitravel]] [[pt:Wikitravel]] [[ro:Wikitravel]] [[ru:Wikitravel]] [[sk:Wikitravel]] [[fi:Wikitravel]] [[sv:Wikitravel]] [[vi:Wikitravel]] [[zh:維基旅行]]