A few weeks ago, Foursquare rolled out a feature for its Android app that is representative of a trend in predictive analytics.
Venture capitalist Fred Wilson has dubbed the feature "places people go next."
The concept is simple: After you check in to a place, you'll see a little icon titled "Places people go after [insert name of the place where you've just checked in]."
The information is not based solely on check-ins (which are declining in popularity -- though still happen 5 million times a day).
The conclusions are also derived from "likes" of check-ins, tips left by users on venue descriptions, "likes" of those tips", users sending venue descriptions to other users, users saving venues to their lists, and general search and discovery behavior.
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On the face of it, Foursquare is merely copying the predictive analysis features popularized by Amazon (product recommendations), Netflix (you liked those movies so you might like this one, too), and Facebook and Twitter (friend and follower recommendations).
But do such suggestions work with travel?
Most travelers profess to want to explore things off the well trod tourist path.
Will travelers embrace being told where to visit next, based on what strangers with similar online patterns have liked?
Or will travelers rebel and want to cut their own trail?
The question applies to more than just Foursquare, obviously, as many apps will be tempted to add the same functionality, such as HotelTonight ("other users who have liked the Westin and the Malmaison have given high ratings to The Standard Miami").
Will this boost conversions, or turn travelers off?