Facebook is now a household name, with over 350 million active users and about half of them visiting the site daily, it is no wonder that the number of applications for this social networking site has exploded. Facebook applications are particularly helpful for travelers because they provide information that is always updated and conveniently located. With some applications being more user friendly than others, it only seems fit to create the below list of the top 10 Facebook applications for travelers.
This is a straightforward application that lets users literally tack places they have visited onto a world map. Users can tack places they’ve visited, are planning on visiting and hope to visit in the future. This application also lets you create lists of favorite destinations and see where friends using the application have travelled. For some, it seems that this application is pointless as after tracking traveled locations there is not much to do, that being said, tracking locations is just the beginning. Having access to friend’s maps and their top locations is the most valuable part of the application. Who better to ask than a friend for recommendations on where to stay or dine?
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Knowing the conversion rate off-hand will save both time and money. Restaurants that offer to do the conversion for customers generally select the rate that is in their favor and not yours. Currency Converter’s main site makes conversions and tracks market rates and trends. An added bonus of this converter is it offers a handy “Travelers Pocket Conversion Cheatsheet” that you can print and carry with you.
This application is ideal for impromptu travelers. Fly to Friends and Places scans for cheap tickets for a list of friends you want to visit. The application searches 5 friends for free from one home base airport but more friends and airports can be purchased through the application. This is a great application for a weekend jaunt.
Sharing your travels just got a little easier with My Travel Blogs. This application allows you to post an unlimited amount of pictures and videos, track the progress of your trip on its own maps and have friends donate funds for your trip. You will no longer have to worry about losing your journal during your adventures because My Travel Blogs ensures that your memories are virtually stored.
My Travel Blogs functions similarly to a social networking site in that you can gain access to other people’s blogs and write in travel forums. These two tools can serve either to inspire future trips or provide you with priceless travel advice.
This app is compatible with smartphones therein allowing blogging on the go. Sending travel updates to your friends through Facebook or email is simple with Travel Blog.
This application loads where all of your friends’ profiles say they are currently living and places their picture on a map. This application is perfect for gaining insider tips on cities you are visiting. MapMotive Light will help you find people you know regardless of location.
Please note: If you have many Facebook friends, this application will take some time to load your contacts.
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If you are unsure where to go for a weekend getaway, Trazzler’s application provides guides. The guides include photos and reviews from travelers like you that will provide ideas for side trips.
Picking restaurants while in a foreign city is made easier with Local Picks. This application guides you through the restaurant search by providing reviews of over 410,000 restaurants around the world. It’s a known fact that a bad restaurant choice can put a damper on an otherwise lovely evening, so pay it forward and write some reviews too.
Busy traveler? Keep track of all of your travel plans with Travel Calendar. Unlike your desktop calendar, this calendar can be shared with your friends and keep tabs on their travels as well!
Backpacking makes keeping track of pesky hotel confirmations a challenge. Hostelworld Route Planner lets Facebookers make reservations in over 15,000 hostels worldwide at the click of a button. Before selecting a place, be sure to read the guest reviews as well as view all the discounts, maps and photographs. After booking, users can print directions to their hostel. Hostelworld Route Planner also lets you share your hostel plans with all of your friends.
Added bonus: This application stores past hostel stays for quick rebooking.
With 112,617 monthly active users, Gusto! has the most popular weather application available on Facebook. (The next most popular weather application has 4,000 active users). Gusto!’s application provides a 5-day forecast, sunrise/sunset times and chance of precipitation. The weather information is populated from weather.com.
This list should provide you with the best Facebook tools available to help make your travels more enjoyable. The best part: they’re all free and available for easy download from the Facebook applications tab.
Resources:
http://hubpages.com/hub/Top_5_Facebook_Travel_Application_Widget_Reviewed_by_Kango
http://lifehacker.com/5243952/map-motive-mashes-your-facebook-friends-on-a-google-map