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Patrick O’Connor-Read, 29, entrepreneur from London: “I travel a lot – I’ve been to Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, Madrid and LA in the last six months alone. Travel networks are a great way to keep in contact with a lot of people very easily. Often people come out of the woodwork and reveal they’re going to be there at the same time – in those situations sites like WAYN can be really helpful.

"You might say that you want a weekend away in eastern Europe and a couple of friends will say ‘I’ll come with you.’ Sometimes it’s more party angled, sometimes it’s more business angled. I got a business deal out of a friend who I hadn’t seen for five years just because he posted a status update online saying he was in LA, so we met up there and ended up working on some new projects together.

"WAYN is great for networking, but if you want an in-depth understanding of a place, Lonely Planet is also great.”

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Patrick’s travel tip: “Always ask if you can get an upgrade. Don’t be afraid to ask if there are any spare seats going in business or first class – it’s worked for me three or four times.”

Karen Klomp, 28, consultant from the Netherlands: “I love meeting new people and I’m hoping to meet other people who use WAYN – that’s the whole idea behind the website. In terms of getting background information on a place, I think the Rough Guides are the best for all different kinds of trips.

"This year I’m heading to a small cabin in Sweden with a friend to get some peace and quiet, and then I’m going to Morocco with six girlfriends for something completely different!”

Karen’s travel tip: “Try to meet local people. Just go off the beaten path and remember that meeting locals is the best way to get around. I did that on a trip to Syria and Jordan and it was so much more fun.”

Peter Schellenberger, 42, environmental scientist from Perth, Australia: “I never, ever plan my travel. Last week I was sitting at home in Australia, and now I’m in London. I just decided to book a flight to London at the last minute – I flew out three days later!

"I’ve never been to Europe, let alone London, before, so it’s a great experience and I absolutely love meeting new people. Tomorrow I’m going to buy a van and drive to Morocco.”

Peter’s travel tip: “Never plan your trips – be spontaneous!”

Aoife Madden, 26, actress from Ireland: “I use social networking a lot, and it’s great that you can see what people are going to be doing for the next few weeks, or even months, and jump on board.

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