The TripAdvisor Effect

How do sites like TripAdvisor affect travel? Do you read and take heed of the reviews on such social media sites when planning your next trip?

In last Monday's New York Times Susan Stellin explored the effect of TripAdvisor's 40 million reviews on how folks travel. At issue, especially from the hotelier and outfitters' perspective is the fact that some reviews go beyond to-be-expected complaining and honest criticism about "filthy toilets and snooty staff" to become inflammatory, some reviews accuse hotel staff of criminality. TripAdvisor says it's simply a forum for travelers' remarks and reviews while hoteliers reply that it steps beyond neutrality in some instances.

To my mind, it doesn't seem TripAdvisor will be going anywhere soon. In fact, its existence has given birth to a whole new type of company, one like San Francisco's Revinate, a firm that for $200-$600 a month will track and analyze a hotel's online reviews.

And, checking on TripAdvisor right now, I see they've grown from just restaurant and hotel reviews to offer ideas of things to do while on the road as well as provide a venue for travelers to review cruises and vacation rentals.

Let us know if you depend on TripAdvisor before booking a hotel, tour, vacation rental or merely heading out to dinner. Do a handful of negative reviews scare you away from a hotel/cruise/restaurant? How do you use TripAdvisor and other sites like it?

 

Post originale: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/11/the-tripadvisor-effect.html