Wikivoyage

Wikivoyage
Name	Wikivoyage
Type	Travel guide
Language	Multiple
Registration	Optional
Owner	Wikimedia Foundation
Launch date	10 December 2006 (as Wikitravel), 15 January 2013 (relaunch)
Current status	Active

Wikivoyage is a free, web-based, collaborative travel guide project. It operates as a wiki, allowing volunteers from around the world to create and edit content covering destinations, itineraries, phrasebooks, and travel topics. The project is hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit organization that also operates Wikipedia, and is available in multiple languages. Its content is published under a Creative Commons license, specifically the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license, permitting free use and redistribution.

Overview

Wikivoyage functions as a comprehensive, community-driven repository of travel information, distinct from commercial or editorial guidebooks. Its model is inspired by the success of other Wikimedia projects like Wikipedia and Wiktionary, applying similar open content principles to the domain of travel. The project aims to provide practical, up-to-date advice for travelers, covering a vast array of locations from major global cities like Paris and Tokyo to remote regions and natural wonders such as the Amazon rainforest and the Himalayas. All contributions are made by a global community of volunteers, with content managed through wiki software that tracks changes and allows for revision.

History

The origins of Wikivoyage trace back to Wikitravel, a similar travel wiki founded in 2003 by Evan Prodromou and Michele Ann Jenkins. In 2006, the site and its trademarks were acquired by Internet Brands, a move that led to growing community concerns over editorial control and commercial direction. This friction culminated in 2012 when a significant portion of the Wikitravel community, supported by the Wikimedia Foundation, voted to fork the project and create a new, independent travel wiki under the Wikimedia umbrella. The new site, named Wikivoyage, officially launched on January 15, 2013, migrating existing content and community to servers operated by the Wikimedia Foundation. This transition was a notable event in the history of open-source content and collaborative projects.

Content and structure

Content on Wikivoyage is organized through a detailed manual of style and a hierarchical structure. Primary articles are destination guides, which are categorized by continent (e.g., Asia), country (e.g., Italy), region (e.g., Tuscany), city (e.g., Florence), and district. Each guide follows a standardized format containing sections on understanding the area, getting there and around, sights, activities, eating, drinking, sleeping, staying safe, and connecting. Beyond destination guides, the project includes specialized content such as travel topics (covering subjects like travel photography or hitchhiking), phrasebooks for various languages, itineraries for specific routes like the Silk Road, and off the beaten path articles. All content is intended to be factual, neutral, and useful, avoiding promotional language.

Community and governance

The Wikivoyage community consists of volunteer editors, administrators, and bureaucrats who contribute content, enforce policies, and maintain the site. Governance is largely based on consensus-building and discussion on associated talk pages and community forums. Key policies include a neutral point of view, verifiability of information, and a strict prohibition against advertising. Dispute resolution processes are in place, and certain trusted users are granted administrative tools by the community. The overarching stewardship and technical infrastructure are provided by the Wikimedia Foundation, with the project adhering to the foundation's general principles, such as those outlined in the Wikimedia movement. Day-to-day operations, however, are managed autonomously by the volunteers.

Reception and impact

Since its relaunch, Wikivoyage has been generally well-received as a valuable, free alternative to proprietary travel resources. It has been featured and reviewed in various media outlets, including The Guardian and BBC Travel. Its impact lies in democratizing travel information, making detailed guides accessible to anyone with an internet connection, and in preserving knowledge about lesser-known destinations. The project has also influenced the broader ecosystem of open knowledge, demonstrating the viability of collaborative models for specialized, practical information beyond encyclopedic topics. It is frequently cited alongside other major travel resources and is integrated into the ecosystem of Wikimedia projects.

Related projects

Wikivoyage is one of many projects hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation. Its closest sibling is Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, with which it sometimes shares contextual links. Other related Wikimedia projects include Wikimedia Commons, a repository of media files where Wikivoyage stores many of its maps and photographs, and Wikidata, which provides structured data. In the broader landscape of travel information, it exists alongside other collaborative or open projects, such as OpenStreetMap, which provides the base for many custom maps used on Wikivoyage. It is distinct from, but sometimes compared to, commercial platforms like TripAdvisor or guidebook series from publishers like Lonely Planet and Rough Guides.

Category:Travel websites Category:Wikimedia projects Category:Wikis Category:2006 establishments