State Travel Oregon is launching GoSeeOregon.com, a social networking
travel website where visitors can interact as they explore Oregon
destinations. The site-developed and hosted by GosSeeTell Network and
sponsored by Travel Oregon-provides users a platform to network with other
people as they share information, tips and recommendations about places to
go and things to do in Oregon.
  “GoSeeOregon.com is more about the people who visit places than about
the places that are visited by people. With support from Travel Oregon, the
site imparts authenticity to the Oregon brand,” said Davidson. “It also
allows us to build on our established track record as an innovator in the
travel industry; we know of no other tourism destination that has attempted
to engage travelers on this level,” he said.
  As part of the GoSeeTell network of websites, GoSeeOregon.com is a
community site that could be described as ‘Amazon meets Ebay meets
TripAdvisor.’ Users write reviews about places they visit and offer travel
tips, add photos, and rate any other content they see on the site (places,
tips, photos, deals, advertising, etc.). The site’s unique functionality
will allow users to get personalized recommendations that suit their
interests and lifestyle based on input from likeminded users (i.e.: “search
for what 25-35 years olds who travel with kids recommend in Portland”).
  To make sure user reviews are authentic, GoSeeTell has developed a
proprietary system which calculates a trust-score for each user of the
site. This “trustiness” rating indicates how trustworthy a GoSeeOregon.com
user is, as rated by peers. Other sites allow users to post reviews or tips
anonymously, which may or may not be trustworthy. A GoSeeOregon.com user
creates a user ID which tracks that person’s tips and reviews, and then
allows other users to evaluate that person’s postings to the site.
  Sponsorship of GoSeeOregon.com is part of Travel Oregon’s growing
strategic emphasis on interactive marketing, said Davidson. The site
provides Travel Oregon another channel to cross-promote the state and to
test profile- based advertising. GoSeeOregon.com also offers an
unprecedented opportunity to dialogue with consumers and glean new
perspectives on their behaviors and beliefs.
  “Engaging visitors this way allows Travel Oregon to stay relevant with
consumers who not only seek to control how they access media, but are also
eager to create their own media channels,” said Davidson. “The
proliferation of broadband internet access and mobile connectivity has
fundamentally changed how consumers behave. Today, the Internet is not just
a utilitarian tool used to shop for cheap air fares; it’s a complex
life-management tool. By supporting the development of GoSeeOregon.com,
we’re ensuring that consumers who look up Oregon destinations online get
the richer experience they seek.”
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