In a sign that dinosaur media are starting to truly explore the power of semantic data, my employer The Gazette has put together a Google Map of regional getaways, those small-town country inns that people drive to for a weekend, based off its Short Hops and Country Roads travel series.
They’re colour-coded by type, include basic contact information and a photo, and most importantly a link to a Gazette review, which would drive targetted traffic to the website if it’s used by lots of people.
The map took weeks to put together (not full-time, mind you), and has a bit under 100 locations on it, from Ottawa to Quebec City and from the Laurentians to lower Maine.
As with any Google Map, you can download the KML file and use it in Google Earth or any other mapping program of your choice, or mash it up however you like.
That is cute, but speaking of dinosaurish, pity that there is no way to access most of these places except by car!
That said, it is an interesting initiative.