USA Today.com, is signing a technology and content partnership with The Map Network (TMN), the premier provider of customizable, interactive destination maps.
The partnership will enable the integration of TMN’s mapping platform within USATODAY.com content to offer readers a deeper level of engagement around relevant points of interest and to engage users in an interactive, graphically compelling, and user-friendly way.

USATODAY.com first worked with TMN to offer expanded destination coverage during Super Bowl XL in Detroit. Detroit events, restaurants, and other points of interest were seamlessly integrated into a customized, consumer-friendly map, providing readers with a unique and engaging way of virtually exploring the city and Super Bowl attractions ( http://map.mapnetwork.com/superbowl ).

USATODAY.com ultimately chose TMN as their mapping partner due to the quality of TMN’s solution and locally-defined map content, combined with the ability for USATODAY.com to integrate destination picks and coverage and to make that content available throughout TMN’s network of map users.

“The Map Network’s solution allows us to truly enhance the USATODAY.com user experience,” said Ben Abramson, USATODAY.com Travel Editor. “Their graphically rich, interactive maps closely align with the USA TODAY brand reputation for presenting information in a compelling visual format.”

USATODAY.com is using TMN’s mapping solution to offer maps for 28 city guides which are currently live on the site. The new city guide pages are part of a larger redesign for the Travel section launching in September.

“Our maps are developed using a ‘bottom-up’ approach, empowering each of our partners—more than 90 Convention and Visitor Bureaus, their 100,000 plus members, hundreds of events and a growing number of hotels and venues—to create, customize and share the most expert data for a destination,” said Shane Green, President and CEO of The Map Network. “We are excited to have USATODAY.com embrace that approach and to create some of the most original, stimulating local content available anywhere.”

The Map Network (TMN) is transforming one of the world’s oldest information sources—maps—into a dynamic new sales, marketing, revenue-generating, and community-building tool for destination marketing organizations, events, hotels and venues. TMN currently serves as the Official Map of the Destination Marketing Association International, more than 90 CVBs, and leading associations such as IAEM, ASAE and MPI. More than 200 events have used TMN’s custom map-guides, including more than 25 of the Tradeshow Week Top 200 trade shows, both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions in 2004, the Senior Olympics, the World War II Memorial Dedication, Presidents Cup Marine Corps Marathon, Super Bowl XL and XLI, and a number of leading convention centers, stadiums and hotels. http://www.mapnetwork.com
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