Why does a vacation-goer turn to TripAdvisor and not Web travel agencies like Travelocity, or Priceline?
Answer: to get information on trips rather than just book them. TripAdvisor (TRIP), which went public in a December 2011 spinoff from Expedia (EXPE), offers consumers reviews of resorts, restaurants and the destinations they're visiting.
Many travelers use the Internet to research vacations, decide which hotels to book, and where to eat. That's where TripAdvisor fills a void. Online travel agencies like Priceline (PCLN) offer travel information, but TripAdvisor has more user-generated reviews than anyone else.
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