How we research & source
Every fact on Raecation comes from a known source. This page explains our layered sourcing model, trust tiers, and how we keep information fresh.
Our Promise
Raecation is built on a simple principle: we only publish what we can source. You'll never see fabricated “filler” content or unlabeled AI-generated text presented as fact.
Every field you see — from court counts to seasonal weather to club contact details — carries a visible source tag showing exactly where that information came from, how confident we are in it, and when it was last updated.
Four Source Layers
We combine four types of sources to give you the most complete, trustworthy picture:
Live Data
Real-time or near-real-time information from authoritative external APIs: weather forecasts from Open-Meteo, pricing from booking platforms, map data from OpenStreetMap. These fields update automatically and show a timestamp.
Curated
Written, verified, and maintained by our editorial team or trusted local partners. This is the gold standard for subjective assessments (vibe, skill level, local etiquette) and context that machines can't judge.
AI-drafted
Summaries or structured data generated by AI from verified sources, always labeled as “AI-drafted, fact-checked.” We use AI as a research assistant to speed up coverage, but every AI-generated field lists the sources it drew from and has been reviewed for accuracy. We never pass off AI content as human-written.
Community
Reviews, trip reports, and verified contributions from travelers like you. Community submissions are moderated and attributed. When multiple travelers confirm the same detail, it rises to “Community-confirmed” — our highest trust tier.
Trust Tiers
Not all information is equally certain. We use a four-tier trust ladder to show our confidence level:
- 1.Unverified — Initial import or draft; not yet checked.
- 2.Auto-checked — Validated by automated rules (e.g., API response is fresh and well-formed).
- 3.Editor-verified — Reviewed and confirmed by our editorial team.
- 4.Community-confirmed — Multiple travelers have verified this detail from their own experience.
Freshness & Updates
Every field shows when it was last updated. Live data refreshes automatically (weather, pricing). Editorial content is reviewed periodically; if a fact ages past 90 days without reconfirmation, we flag it as “may be out of date” rather than silently leaving stale information.
If you spot an error or outdated detail, tap the source tag and select “Report an error” — it goes straight to our editorial queue.
Affiliate Disclosure
Raecation earns affiliate commissions when you book through our partner links (clubs, coaches, booking platforms). These partnerships help fund our research while keeping the core product free.
Affiliate links are clearly labeled (“Book on Playtomic ↗”, “Sponsored”) and never disguised as editorial recommendations. Our editorial team chooses which destinations and clubs to cover based on quality and sourcing — not commission rates.
If a venue is unaffiliated but worth including, we list it anyway. Trust comes first.
How We're Different
- ✓No fabricated filler. If we don't have information, we say so — you'll see “Not yet covered” instead of generic AI fluff.
- ✓AI is labeled. When AI helps draft content, we tag it as “AI-drafted, fact-checked” and show the sources it used.
- ✓Visible provenance. Every fact has a source tag you can tap to see where it came from.
- ✓Honest affiliate disclosure. We label partner links and never let commissions dictate coverage.
- ✓Community-powered. Traveler reviews and trip reports feed back into our trust system, making the guide better for everyone.
Questions?
We're building a new standard for trustworthy travel guidance. If you'd like to know more about our sourcing process or report an issue, we're here.
Get in touch