Event-driven travel search asks when, not where

Hungarian travel site Joobili believes that timing is everything when it comes to planning a trip. Instead of asking users where they want to go, Joobili provides would-be travellers with inspiration by asking them when they want to schedule a trip, and then offers information about festivals, parties, sports events and other travel-worthy happenings across Europe. Users can either select a travel date on a slide rule calendar on the website site or search by country or keyword (Arts, Music, Family, Celebrations, Shopping, Food & Drink, Sport, Nature and Unusual). By clicking on an event on the calendar, searchers can view photos of an event and check out other events nearby. Members can also save their past and future events on a personal GoList and exchange comments with travellers who have similar interests. The website’s revenue model seems to be based on affiliate marketing, earning fees for referrals to hotels, guidebooks, rental cars and flights. Joobili’s ‘timely travel’ approach turns the way we book travel on its head by putting the activities before the destination. It’s a simple innovation, but one that’s likely to be compelling to an important audience for the travel industry: the adventurous. (Related: Trip planner lets customers create their own tours.) Spotted by: Tamas Kocsis