Videos to Explain Directions to Hostels
Hostel Videos
I was in Taipei, Taiwan visiting my friends Magos and Raul of the TaiwanMex Hostel. Taipei speaks Traditional Chinese, therefore it can be difficult to ask directions or even read the signs, finding a Hostel is work.
Magos told me one of the booking site wanted her to make a video explaining how to get from the Taipei, Main Station to the Hostel. I thought this was an excellent idea for all traveler rooms.
Therefore, I recorded a few videos files and copied them over to Magos computer. I then showed here a free video making programs whereby she could compile or create videos.
"Windows Movie Maker."
I thought this was an excellent idea, and hope the whole travel industry helps me a professional world traveler to find their Hostels easier.
I see informational videos as proof a Hostel cares about the their guest.
Andy of HoboTraveler.com in the Fukuoka Khaosan Hostel here in Japan, lying in the lower bunk getting ready to fly to Bangkok, Thailand.
- Comments
16 years
TaiwanMex is a great hostel, and it's a bit difficult to find.
Video directions are a great idea, especially if in a format that can be put on a mobile device like the next generation of phones like iPhone and Android phones. YouTube format should work...
There is another related thing that I think all hostel websites should have -- photo directions that can be printed. Here's an example of the photos:
http://www.barcelonadream.net/location.html
The only problem with the example above is that it's in an CSS "frame" and can't be printed easily. A "print friendly" version would make it perfect.
16 years
Very good directions, a step by step process of the trip to the Hostel. Now to make them printable.
I am wondering if we can take a video and shrink it to fit on a mobile phone?
Very good instructions.
16 years
I am wondering if we can take a video and shrink it to fit on a mobile phone?
I don't have an iPhone, but I went to an Apple store to check it out. Both the iPhone and "iPod Touch" can connect to wifi hotspots and download YouTube videos. iPhones hold up to 16 gb of videos and music.
I just did a quick search to see what phones already play YouTube videos besides iPhones and found many:
- Blackberry Storm & Blackberry Pearl 8130
- Google Phone
- Neo Freerunner (OpenMoko)
- Palm Centro
- Helio Ocean
- and many more...
YouTube format is always safe because It's the most popular video sharing site and customers want their video players to work with it.
I also came across a lighter version of YouTube for mobile phones here:
http://m.youtube.com/
16 years
Thanks for the links.
I do hope you mean download and then play with no connection. I am laughing as I am posting this, the local WIFI signal here in Thailand refuses to let me get on YouTube.com.
I can imagine me making a very light and small file on my website, then the person really would dowload the file and hold on their Ipod or some device, then if they get in a pinch, the could open it and watch the directions again.
I have been to enough countries to know that paper is still the best option.
I purchased a PDF Lonely Planet chapter on Seoul, I forgot to print it out, the directions to the Hostels in Seoul was a nightmare. I stopped and opened up my computer and tried to read it in the direct sunlight. What a mess, it just did not work good. There is stress and pressure around you when you are entering a city, the last thing you need to be doing is messing with a computer file.
I go to dangerous countries, off the Hostel circuit, so I am more aware of being robbed.
I will experiment with taking a video and making readers able to download, then see how to make very small in size.
16 years
I do hope you mean download and then play with no connection. I am laughing as I am posting this, the local WIFI signal here in Thailand refuses to let me get on YouTube.com.
If the phone can use regular YouTube (Flash) and not just m.youtube.com (RTSP) it should be able to save them. I'll test it out next time I go by a phone store...
I think Thailand banned YouTube last year...
16 years
I see informational videos as proof a Hostel cares about the their guest.
Hostel Video directions!
Another thing we planned to put it on our website... Just too many projects on the same guy! :(
16 years
If the phone can use regular YouTube (Flash) and not just m.youtube.com (RTSP) it should be able to save them.
Unfortunately, the iPhone can't save videos, you need a connection.
The movies play with only a cell connection, though.
16 years
There is another related thing that I think all hostel websites should have -- photo directions that can be printed. Here's an example of the photos:
http://www.barcelonadream.net/location.html
Wow! Those are some good directions, I don't know how some hostels get any business when they offer the 2 sentence directions.
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