The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Hugh Jordan

December 9, 2011 | 1 min read

Lonely Planet’s independent technology start-up Fourforty Inc. has launched its first app, Wenzani.

Zulu for ‘where are you going’, Wenzani is effectively a micro social network for those who love travel. Users can share recommendations for places to visit, upload photos and videos of their favourite spots and receive updates from established online travel guides and diary sites.

Given its emphasis on the social, interactivity will be key to Wenzani’s success. Users are encouraged to ‘agree’ with others recommendations in much the same way as posts on Facebook are ‘liked’. Places to visit are searchable either a text lists or geographically on maps.

Speaking on the formation of Fourforty Inc. back in September, Lonely Planet ceo, Matt Goldberg said the idea behind having an independent spin-off was to allow this company to work with rivals “without feeling any compunction.”

And that has proved to be the case. Time Out and Frommers are two such rivals, and both are involved in Wenzani app as experts that can be followed.