On July 19, 2024, Code for Africa’s African Wikipedia Alliance (AWA), hosted its first July bi-weekly webinar for the Anglophone community titled “Introduction to Wikivoyage.” The online meetup was facilitated by Miracle James, a Wikipedian, Media Publicist, and Unilorin Wikimedia fan club and moderated by Bukola James, the Community Coordinator of AWA. The session had 9 participants, including project leads and volunteer Wikimedians from Botswana and Nigeria. It provided participants with the basic understanding of Wikivoyage and helped them get familiar with its features.
Key Highlights
The webinar, facilitated by Miracle, began with an overview of the learning objectives, including understanding the concept, history, and background of Wikivoyage, constructing a well-organised structure for its content, and gaining familiarity with its features and tools. Miracle emphasised that Wikivoyage is a free, web-based travel guide covering destinations and travel topics worldwide, written and maintained by a community of volunteer editors who collaborate to provide comprehensive, up-to-date information for travellers.
Wikivoyage began in 2006 as a project by a German non-profit organisation, aiming to create a free, reliable, and continuously updated travel guide. In 2013, it transitioned to the Wikimedia Foundation, gaining greater visibility, resources, and integration with the broader Wikimedia ecosystem, which enhanced its ability to serve travellers by offering up-to-date, unbiased information.
Miracle explained that Wikivoyage is primarily organised around geographical destinations, divided into hierarchical levels: Continents, Countries, Regions, Cities and Towns, and Districts and Neighbourhoods. Each destination page includes comprehensive information, such as:
- Understand: Background information, history, and culture.
- Get In: Transportation options and entry requirements.
- Get Around: Local transportation methods and tips.
- See and Do: Major attractions, activities, and points of interest.
- Buy: Shopping areas and local specialities.
- Eat: Dining options, from street food to fine dining.
- Drink: Popular bars, cafes, and nightlife spots.
- Sleep: Accommodation options, ranging from budget hostels to luxury hotels.
- Stay Safe: Safety tips and health advisories.
- Connect: Information on communication options, such as internet access and local SIM cards.
Additionally, she highlighted that Wikivoyage offers several features to enhance user experience, including interactive maps for visualising destinations, suggested itineraries for various types of trips, phrasebooks with essential language guides, and options to download content for offline access, which is especially useful for travellers without consistent internet access.
Finally, the webinar covered how Wikivoyage thrives on community contributions. Anyone can edit or create articles, improve existing content, start new pages for uncovered destinations, participate in discussions to collaborate and share insights, and must adhere to content guidelines to ensure quality and reliability. To begin contributing, one can create a Wiki user account.
Conclusion
The session concluded with an interactive Q&A segment, where participants had the opportunity to ask questions and gain further clarity on the topics discussed. Miracle encouraged attendees to actively engage with the Wikivoyage platform, emphasising the importance of contributing to its content and community. She urged participants to apply the knowledge gained from the webinar by exploring and editing Wikivoyage, thus enriching the platform with diverse perspectives and up-to-date information. This insightful and engaging webinar not only equipped participants with the tools and understanding needed to contribute effectively to Wikivoyage but also fostered a sense of collaboration and community among Wikimedians. As the session wrapped up, participants were left with a strong foundation for future contributions and were encouraged to join the upcoming webinars to continue their learning journey.
For those interested in revisiting the session or those who might have missed it, the recorded version is available on the community programmes page. Ensure you are registered for the upcoming CfA WiR Bi-weekly webinar and immerse in our vibrant community. To stay abreast of our initiatives, complete this form, and let’s shape the future together!
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