Whereto.org - User Descriptions of World Locations

WhereTo is a new site that allows users to plot places that they’ve been on a map and write a description about the place in question. Others can search through these plotted locations and read through them by clicking on tags which increase in size depending on their popularity. The site appears a bit like a mashup of Wikpedia and Google maps since it allows people to provide a write up of the place they’ve tagged on the map and then other users are able to edit what they’ve written for accuracy. The goal behind this site would appear to be providing a map of the world and providing encyclopedic-type entries on all the world’s wonderful places.

“WhereTo.org is a free description of places where you can: Keep track of places you've been to, Tag places, edit them, describe and rate them. See where other people go. Browse similarly tagged places. Get recommendations on where to go next.”

This site should only get better as more and more user content and edits make it a complete encyclopedia of the world.

How will they encourage more users to submit content? Perhaps they should contract knowledgeable writers to get the ball rolling and reach the critical mass of information necessary to make the site grow quickly virally.