GigaOM

YowTRIP will demonstrate its social networking site for frequent travelers next month at The Silicon Valley NewTech Meetup. Yes, Dopplr is already doing social networking for travelers, but YowTRIP uses destinations to create new social connections rather than just enhancing existing ones.

Dopplr works well for people who travel frequently for business and want to meet up with people they already know. YowTRIP, on the other hand, is for people who are interested in travel for its own sake and want to make the most of it by finding in-the-flesh or online travel buddies. YowTRIP puts the destination first, and lets the social connections flow from there.

While Dopplr limits who can view your trips to those you invite, YowTRIP makes it possible for you to find people that either have matching travel plans or have recently been to cities you’re considering visiting. Then, if you become buddies, you can view each other’s photos, videos, travelogs (blogs about your travels), tips and upcoming travel plans.

YowTRIP isn’t the first site aimed at building a community of passionate travelers looking to swap tips and stories. Vcarious, Virtual Tourist and myTripz are just three of the many other options targeting pleasure travelers rather than the professional crowd Dopplr suits. YowTRIP, however, puts the emphasis squarely on creating social connections.