Comments on: Thoughts on Hotels and review competitions http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/ - Discussions on travel consumer issues Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:21:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: rebecca ferrand http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/#comment-150976 rebecca ferrand Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:36:14 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4736#comment-150976 If hotels offer a reviewer any incentive to make a review it invalidates that review and renders TripAdviosr a nonsense and merely makes TA's hotel pages a shop window for that hotel. TA's biggest problem is the size of its site. With thousands and thousands of hotels how do they go about policing the reviews, the reviewers and the hotels. An almost impossible task? If TA cannot properly monitor and administer the reviews and or allows links to travel agents and booking sites then they are very far from being an independent and transparent review site for travellers. And as a traveller how could I rely on any review, good or bad that was posted? How could I be confident that any review had not manipulated in some way, good or bad or placed there for the hotels gain, TripAdvisors gain or the gain of the reviewer. The honesty of the reviews are the key to making Trip Advisor work for every one, for the hotels (the majority of whom would welcome any comments good or bad), the traveller and the reviewers. If hotels offer a reviewer any incentive to make a review it invalidates that review and renders TripAdviosr a nonsense and merely makes TA’s hotel pages a shop window for that hotel. TA’s biggest problem is the size of its site. With thousands and thousands of hotels how do they go about policing the reviews, the reviewers and the hotels. An almost impossible task? If TA cannot properly monitor and administer the reviews and or allows links to travel agents and booking sites then they are very far from being an independent and transparent review site for travellers. And as a traveller how could I rely on any review, good or bad that was posted? How could I be confident that any review had not manipulated in some way, good or bad or placed there for the hotels gain, TripAdvisors gain or the gain of the reviewer. The honesty of the reviews are the key to making Trip Advisor work for every one, for the hotels (the majority of whom would welcome any comments good or bad), the traveller and the reviewers.

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]]> By: Pingback - Hotel Marketing Strategies http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/#comment-150921 Pingback - Hotel Marketing Strategies Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:36:08 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4736#comment-150921 [...] they are today. My own exclusive interview with TripAdvisor drew some skeptical comments, as did Darren’s a while back: “The ultimate loser here is likely to be TripAdvisor, since this doesn’t help [...] [...] they are today. My own exclusive interview with TripAdvisor drew some skeptical comments, as did Darren’s a while back: “The ultimate loser here is likely to be TripAdvisor, since this doesn’t help [...]

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]]> By: Darren Cronian http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/#comment-150752 Darren Cronian Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:07:09 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4736#comment-150752 Please note that this blog post is not an opportunity for hotels to rant about Trip advisor's policies. The discussion is based on the issue of hotels holding competitions to gain positive reviews, please remain on topic. Please note that this blog post is not an opportunity for hotels to rant about Trip advisor’s policies. The discussion is based on the issue of hotels holding competitions to gain positive reviews, please remain on topic.

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]]> By: April Robb http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/#comment-150650 April Robb Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:45:57 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4736#comment-150650 Hi Darren – We have not, actually, seen an increase in the use of incentives. We have seen many owners, however, take advantage of TripAdvisor’s marketing tools to promote their properties in acceptable ways. We launched our owners’ center in January 2009 (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Owners) with the goal of assisting owners, particularly in a tough economy. More than 48,500 properties have registered in the last 7 months, and many have taken advantage of widget, badge, management response and listing update tools, in addition to ones that help owners ask their guests to submit reviews. We encourage properties to explore the options. Thanks- April Robb Hi Darren –

We have not, actually, seen an increase in the use of incentives. We have seen many owners, however, take advantage of TripAdvisor’s marketing tools to promote their properties in acceptable ways. We launched our owners’ center in January 2009 (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Owners) with the goal of assisting owners, particularly in a tough economy. More than 48,500 properties have registered in the last 7 months, and many have taken advantage of widget, badge, management response and listing update tools, in addition to ones that help owners ask their guests to submit reviews. We encourage properties to explore the options.

Thanks-
April Robb

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]]> By: Jean Andrews http://www.travel-rants.com/2009/08/09/thoughts-hotel-reviews-competitions/#comment-150582 Jean Andrews Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:40:02 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=4736#comment-150582 I think people are being way too cynical here. Taking all reviews on TA at face value could be disastrous though of course. I have found you can often spot the possible fake reviews - a place with bad reviews will have an overwhelming amount of them, and same applies to good reviews. Good to check more than one review site, obviously. Personally know of a hotel close to home which is truly awful. Have followed bad reviews left on TA about it for a couple years now which I know are all totally true - no fake 'good' reviews have been added by hotel management or staff! Just one example. I have willingly left reviews about places I've stayed (all good, and all thanks to previous reviews left by other travellers). It should be viewed only as a travel tool and a way to cut down the potential for a disastrous stay and associated problems having to complain to hotel management. I think people are being way too cynical here. Taking all reviews on TA at face value could be disastrous though of course. I have found you can often spot the possible fake reviews – a place with bad reviews will have an overwhelming amount of them, and same applies to good reviews.

Good to check more than one review site, obviously. Personally know of a hotel close to home which is truly awful. Have followed bad reviews left on TA about it for a couple years now which I know are all totally true – no fake ‘good’ reviews have been added by hotel management or staff!

Just one example. I have willingly left reviews about places I’ve stayed (all good, and all thanks to previous reviews left by other travellers). It should be viewed only as a travel tool and a way to cut down the potential for a disastrous stay and associated problems having to complain to hotel management.

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