- Trip planner: Would-be travelers can plan their dream vacation down to the second using Gusto's in-depth resources. The planner offers 18 different themes for users - from action adventure to shop-til-you-drop, as well as the option to search for specific destinations.
- Hotel reservations: Gusto users can do more than read hotel reviews. The site allows users to reserve hotels and plan where they'll stay without navigating off the page. Gusto even gives you the option to book car rentals and dinner reservations, saving users stress and money.
- Attraction reviews: Gusto goes beyond simple destination overviews. Users can post rated reviews on every attraction under the sun. Organized by city, restaurants, tourist traps and hidden gems are put to the test.
- Gusto Grabber: A relatively-new tool. The Grabber lets Gusto users save their most-visited sites in an easy-to-access bar at the top of the browser. It's a handy tool for those planning trips over several days.
- What's making news?: The left side of Gusto's main page is a list of travel-related stories in American newspapers. The stories give users an idea of current trends and areas to avoid.
Using Gusto is easier than it looks at first glance. I was a bit worried for my sanity when I first glanced at its crowded homepage. While its busy, the page is easy to navigate. Users can sign-in or create an account at the top right of the page.
From there, you can search a large bank of American cities at the bottom of the screen, or read media reports on the site's best features. The top left of the page allows users to choose locations based on geographic location or hotel prices.
Click on a city, and you're given the option to read any number of reviews from fellow Gusto fans. There are also tabs for car rents, hotels, attractions and food, as discussed above. Under the profiles is a brief summary of some of what the city has to offer. The site's detailed profiles let users connect with travelers with similar interests. Personally, I had a trip to Pigeon Ford, Tennessee all lined up and ready to go - beautiful this time of year.
I'm also sold on the sites management team. Site founder Jeff Wasson is a) an internet-travel pioneer with a successful track record and b) Really, really rich. That combination has me sold on the site's ability to survive.
Wasson, 36, and his management team in Missouri are reasonably young. Travel sites tend to cater to younger people and the theme-searching option leads me to believe the site is looking to reel in young, adventurous travelers.
All social media can be useful to PR professionals and Gusto is no exception. Those working with hotels are restaurants can drum up business by recruiting good reviews and the site is an excellent way to monitor travel trends and plan for the future. After all, any publicity is good publicity.
So, go ahead, try the site out. You never know where you could go.
