I must admit to not using HT as often as I used to, maybe I'm getting bored of the same old questions being asked, many days there is little of interest to me.

I do use other holiday sites possibly more than HT as I often find that HT members on the whole do not take the same sort of holidays as I do and many of the destinations that interest me have little or no feedback on here, whereas a site such as TA will have pages of information for me to sift through.

But having said that I do still post on HT when I find a topic of interest or one that I might be of some help and I do find on the whole HT a much friendlier site than some others. But I must admit that it is a while now since this was the first place I looked when I switched the computer on and sometimes I will go days without even looking on here.

What other holiday forums are out there? I'm only come on this one and TA.

I'm not sure the HT Admin would want us giving out details of other holiday forums but there are a couple that I'm aware of. I also
look at some German review sites

Judith, that could be me speaking!
I haven't been a member very long, but soon realised there will be only occasional questions here for me to answer. I don't do packages, although I have some knowledge of the ones offered in Greece, won't touch AI, go on a sunbed rarely, spend little or no time on the beach when on holiday (I live 5 mins away from one here in Greece!) & don't give a monkeys about make up & fashion, practical & comfortable is my motto!
I will still check in for those few questions that crop up & help where I can, but agree that I spend a lot of time on other sites that are more in depth for the planning of a holiday.

I still beleive HT is the best holiday discussion forum on the net. TA is fine for reviews, they get such a large foot fall, but I am not keen on the forums there; a few locals and ex-pats have got hold of certain forums, maybe have vested interests & it is not easy to get an unbiased view. They will not allow any negatives about their favorite or adopted Country or resort .

You took the words right out of my mouth, only you said it better than me.
I must be mellowing in my old age.

Sanji

I reckon I have been a member of this site for quite a few years now and have found it and the advice I have been given on a variety of subjects over the years most helpful. I would also like to think that in that time, I have been able to help others.

The fact that this thread has been running for a few days and I have not commented before now speaks volumes to me. I simply do not post as much any more. I wouldnt say I have lost interest but generally I have found I have got nowt to say any more that I probably have not already said a dozen times before.

The style of holiday I take has changed over the years. The kids have grown up and the package deals based round a family friendly hotel in any one of the Canary Islands have long gone...so whilst I still take a sneaky peak in the relevant forums, my knowledge and experience is probably out of date and I would not wish to provide someone with duff information.

I no longer go land based in Egypt any more..so again, it is rare that I feel I can make any relevant contribution in that forum..so whilst I look, I very rarely touch..especially as people like Doe, Michelle and Lyn are so helpful in answering questions there..so owt else I said would just be repeating what they have said and posting for the sake of it.

The Malta section is very quiet anyway and I think a few people were driven away from posting in there by the aggressive and bullying manner of one or 2 people who thought they owned the forum..so I rarely have owt to say in there either.

That leaves me mainly with UK section to talk about any little diving trips I have been on around the UK..which runs the risk of me sounding like a broken record as there dont seem to be that many questions relating to diving anywhere..so I leave it to hotel reviews now.
Last but not least, there is the general section...which is about the only place I post now unless I have a specific question about something that belongs somewhere else.

Have I really run out of stuff to say?

I hope not as this is the best independant site, you will get an honest answer on here..no pampering to Tour operators or hotel owners on here.

I have read what other people have put and I have to say there is so much I agree with..I now need to make a conscientious effort to motivate mesen to post at the level I did a few years ago.

The Malta section is very quiet anyway and I think a few people were driven away from posting in there by the aggressive and bullying manner of one or 2 people who thought they owned the forum..so I rarely have owt to say in there either.

Just to re assure you Val and anybody else that might perhaps have visited the Malta forum those particular members were dealt with and were banned from HT, so the forum is again a nice friendly and helpful community, the same as the country

Yes I must admit I agree sometimes when you post you get sarcastic replies like you are stupid or replies which make you think why did i bother posting.

Most people are friendly though

I usually come on here more just before my holiday (like now, I go next week) I am a member of a rival forum too but they're no where near as friendly as Holiday Truths

Oh and my workplace has filtered holiday truths out on the network

hi all...dont think I will be posting much for a while.....am crawling the wallls trying to get cases done before I go ....along with all the other stuff needs doing....Im usualy all sorted and ironing now...but only just sorted what they want to take...and need go through and whittle it down to what there is room to take....my own case hasnt even got to the starting grid yet....its just over 4 weeks before I go...and I will be away the week before as my neice is having a baby and Im going to help out.....then when I get back Im working the week end before we go...so need get myself better organised....tweetie

I log onto HT everyday to check posts I'm interested in ie Greece, Majorca, holiday tips. I love this site and find it really friendly; if you ask a question it's very rare you don't get a response (unlike Trip Advisor where I have asked questions to specific posters and got no response ). Gx

Very true pargaluvva.

Also on here (maybe because I have been around forever ) I have people I know I could go to who know about ,Greece, Turkey, Costa del Sol, Switz, France, Algarve etc there are user names that I always look out for and try and read their posts. I dont particularly have favorite destinations like many do as different places give me different types of holidays. I like to travel all over Europe so that is why HT and the way it is structured is a great help to me.

We seem to have developed a Destination Expert system by default, rather than by design like they have on TA. I guess thats because we are smaller. I know we have lots of 'dropper inners' but we do seem to have a hard core of regulars who are prepared to put in the time and effort as well.

I think the destination expert thing is right...there are people who have extensive knowledge about certain areas and always put the time and effort into replying to people's questions..and I admit myself I look out for thier replies more than others when asking certain questions in certain places. That is not to say I dont respect other answers given as I am grateful for any replies received..but generally you know that some of the more regular posters in certain forums have had many many visits to the area they are talking about.

I wouldnt say I have extensive knowledge about any area any more...due to the nature of the holidays I take changing over the years and also the destinations we go to.

Hmm..might have to do summats about that..maybe I need to win the lottery so I can go on lots more holidays ..

If I win the lottery I'll buy everyone on here a new hat! Unless it's a tenner, then I'll just buy some beer!

Ooh, here's hoping for the new hat!

Coming back into this discussion, and after getting into a dialogue with someone on the Crete forum, I wonder just what effect it has, especially on new or relatively infrequent posters, when they receive very negative comments if they choose not to accept other posters' advice about a resort etc? And how we react when others reject our advice? And whether this is having an impact on how and by whom HT is now getting used.

I know that there have been occasions when my immediate reaction to a post has been 'Why on earth would you want to stay there/do that?' but I do try and resist going public with it (and perhaps some of you are thinking 'but not always enough ) But what are others' thoughts? If you get a spate of incidents where posters have chosen not to take your advice and make what you regard as a bad call, does it make you less likely to answer questions? Or if you find yourself being openly criticised for appearing to reject the advice of others given in response to your question, does it make you less likely to post further questions?

If it does perhaps this could be one of the factors in making HT seem not as busy as it once was.

SM

(Edited for typo)

I try not to criticize anyone's choice of destination, as we all look for different things in a holiday. I would however point out the obvious, like if you're looking for a laid back holiday you don't go to Malia and explain why. Likewise, I always appreciate the fact that people take time to answer questions to either help me pick a destination or advise me about places to avoid, based on my likes/dislikes. At the end of the day though, I make my own informed choice, and would never blame anyone but myself/ hubby if it wasn't the right one.

Personally I think its mainly down to plain old evolution, Back when I first started to look at this site the "Buzz" word for reviews was Holiday Truth. Now TA seems to have taken over the reins as "The" site.

Firstly the vast majority of people browsing the web for holiday information want solely to know what they are booking, The hotel we have picked this year has approx 10-12 reviews every week on TA yet on here the last one was May 2010 and the one before two and a half years ago.

Also I posted a question on here asking for info about a huge tourist attraction on the island we are visiting yet it still has not had a reply some 3 months on. I remain an active user but a new poster would surly not come back.

Indeed this is a great and mostly friendly site, but of late a couple of little cliques have turned a few threads sour. I think this is prob due to friendships/facebook circles formed on "the other side"?

We all have an opinion and all opinions will differ.

A while ago a pretty frequent posted questioned the need for certain topics, that poster got shot down and does not really post anymore. It was her personal opinion.

Yes ok a forum does need a fresh supply of topics to keep it going but I thought the time we had 3 threads on the "maxi dress" long ,short, plain, stripe'd, red blue etc etc a little overkill.

I don't post on TA I really cant get on with the forum layout, For upto date info I find most destinations has its own message board easily found via google. BUT you cant get away from the fact that all review sites are only successful with a good turnaround of reviews. As I said at the beginning people want info on what they are about to or have booked.

Just the cycle of life I suppose.

Happy Holidays

MilleMiglia I do know the Mods/Admin have done their level best to encourage everyone to post their own reviews on here when returning from holidays and put reminders where ever they possibly can, including at the bottom of their own posts. But, you can't make someone write a review can you?

Threads have been done in the past to remind folks, especially frequent visitors to HT to leave a review for others, and I know Mods/Admin have put in a fair amount of work tidying things up to make things easier to look up and find. Unless people write a review on here there will always be a situation that other sites will have more - perhaps ideas to encourage people to write such reviews could be thought about.