Hugo Burge, the internet entrepreneur involved in Cheapflights, and also HOWZAT media LLP, the early stage dotcom investment fund, has announced the Beta launch of www.hereorthere.com.  With an interest in internet social networking, he believes there is a role for a site providing travel inspiration through member-generated content.  hereorthere.com seeks to offer its members and users reviews of potential travel experiences compiled by those who have actually done it first hand. hereorthere.com gives today’s travellers an opportunity to post and share their travel experiences, photos and videos on an online community dedicated to sharing inspiration.  There is an old military saying that “time in reconnaissance is seldom wasted”. hereorthere.com will enable travellers to plan their precious leisure time with the benefit of others’ first-hand experiences.

A recent YouGov survey found that 67% of British holidaymakers intend to use the internet to conduct most or all of their travel planning next year.  More than three quarters of those polled said they used the internet to research their destinations.  Importantly for hereorthere.com, the study showed that online intending travellers place far more trust in the opinions of family, friends and other travellers’ online reviews rather than from other sources, when making a final decision where to go to.  Recent eMarketer research also indicated that by 2011 there will be 95 million Web users creating content online, up from 64 million last year.

Commenting, Hugo Burge said:
“We were not surprised at the survey findings.  The internet has produced some great travel community websites which are focussed on particular niches but hereorthere.com has a different goal. We believe there is a need for a community website that focuses on the heart of travel: the travel experience.”

Concluding Hugo Burge added:

“Relevant travel inspiration is one of the last great frontiers of - and unsolved conundrums in - the online travel sector. At present the most trusted source of information is friends and family. However, I am passionate to improve on this and believe the web can offer a better, broader and deeper resource for travel decisions within a highly relevant community.  I love travel and think there is an opportunity to help inspire each other with relevant and personal first-hand experiences.” 
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