Planning a trip? Chances are the first thing you do is to log onto TripAdvisor and do some research. The world’s largest travel site has become an almost indispensable tool for many travellers today. Celebrating its 15-year anniversary today, TripAdvisor now spans more than 45 countries and has more than 2.5 billion unique visitors in 2014.
To mark its 15th birthday, here are six little-known facts you may or may not know about TripAdvisor and that ubiquitous pair of owl eyes:
- First Review on TripAdvisor: Have you ever wondered which travel destination received the first review on TripAdvisor? That honour goes to Captain’s House Inn in Chatham, Massachusetts. Its rating? Four bubbles.
- Where it all began: The company was started in a tiny space above a pizzeria called Kosta’s in Needham, Massachusetts back in 2000.
- Longest serving member: MariaAA registered on TripAdvisor in 2002. Today, he or she is the longest serving member of the worldwide community.
- The TripAdvisor Owl: You didn’t think the Owl has a name, did you? Well, Ollie’s his name. And, in case you haven’t noticed, one of Ollie’s eyes is green while the other is red. The two colours actually symbolise “where to go” (green) and “where not to go” (red).
- A growing community: It may have its origins in the U.S., but today the majority of TripAdvisor’s site traffic comes from outside the North America country. The most reviewed nation, though, is the U.S.
- The contributor with the ‘mostest’: TripAdvisor member Bradjill from Hong Kong takes the trophy for posting the most number of reviews at more than 3,200. We wonder where he or she found the time to write so many reviews.
