The number of sites trying to get in with the travel community is always growing.  It seems everybody and their friends have an idea for the next big Facebook of Travel.  Well Baraaza is no exception.  They use locals to hopefully, post good travel information activities and sports.  Good luck to them.  I’ve always liked the idea of using natives to get information, as they know the place better than a travel writer ever could.  But the challenge is getting enough people to actually use it.  The site is still in beta, and you can tell by the limited amount of information they have available, however they are doing some contests you might be interested in.  It also would be worth a quick look if you are going to a spot you’ve been before and are looking for something a little different.

A new travel social network is getting ready to launch.  TripWolf.com.  From their site:

-Our new facebook integration allows you to log in and import your profile and social
graph (eliminating social profile fatigue)
-Our content partner who provides professional content
-Professional and user-generated content
-Portable data – downloadable PDF content
-wiki-approach – users can add/update information
-‘trip gurus’ offering knowledgeable local advice
-Site is available English and German language
-Personalized recommendations among users
-Covers the whole world with over 200,000 points of interest

I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out.  I think the ‘portable data’ in PDF form is a great marketing phrase, and seeing original content is always a plus.  I’ll keep you updated on this project as they are still in beta.  You can visit their blog and stay up to date as well.