Kosta’s Pizza and Seafood has received high marks from TripAdvisor reviewers. The diners rave about the baked haddock, pita bread and pizza. But none of the commenters acknowledge the historic significance of the Boston-area restaurant. In 2000, a software engineer and some pals created an axis-shifting travel website above the business. Appropriately, TripAdvisor.com came to life in a room smelling of Italy.

A lot has changed since the hatchling days above the pizzeria. Back then, co-founder Steve Kaufer and his wife searched in vain for independent reviews of resorts in Mexico, the vacation that inspired the site. The couple relied on glossy brochures supplied by a commission-driven travel agent. Today, the Kaufers, plus millions of other travellers, can sift through 250 million unvarnished reviews and opinions, with 160 new submissions per minute.

Source: www.thestar.com