TripHub Re(de)fines Group Travel Planning

Today, it just became easier to plan a vacation with friends and family. TripHub launched several new features this morning, adding to an assortment of online travel collaboration tools.

You can still invite people on trips and track who's coming (similar to Evite), share itinerary information, upload a trip photo (perhaps a prom picture for a bachelor/ette party?), search for and book flights, hotels, activities, car rentals, plus discuss hotel options within your group all in a central hub or home page.

All that helps simplify group travel planning tremendously, but two new features go the extra mile.

Trip Blogs: Now you can start discussions on any topic related to your trip such as transportation, dining reservations, what to wear, solicit votes, and more. You can upload photos in posts (as long as they are publicly available photos and not behind a firewall or from your personal computer), and the Trip Blog within your trip is private. Although private to your travel mates, careful not to give away any surprise birthday gag gifts, as all trip members can view and comment on any trip topic started.

Event Schedules: Also new today are agenda-like event schedules that offer even more structure and ease to the group travel planning process. Anyone can add an item (flight arrival times, dinner reservations, tour dates, show times, party details) for the whole group to see. It's a great way to look at all the key information in one tidy spot; plus, you can print and take it with you.

More cool tools:

• Quick flight searches are another time-saving feature. You can search for flights by entering in travel dates and destinations only once, then clicking on the Expedia, Travelocity, and Orbitz links to do multiple searches and find your preferred flights (and fares).

• TripHub also added several new travel planning guides on its home page – for family reunions, getaways, group reservation know-how, and weddings; plus, an assortment of destination guides.

• You can also now preview invitations before sending them.

TripHub's travel planning service is free. If you're ready to plan a family reunion, take a multi-generational trip, go on a girls getaway, plan a bachelor party, even plan a wedding, TripHub helps simplify the planning process.

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