The commissioned survey – conducted by PhoCusWright – reveals that more than half of global respondents do not want to make a booking commitment until they read reviews and find out what other travellers thought about the property.
According to the study, respondents turn to TripAdvisor on a regular basis. Twenty nine percent visit the site several times a month, 12% say they check the site at least once a week and 26 percent regularly use the site more than once a week.
Overall, this means that 67 percent of respondents check TripAdvisor a few times a month or more.
More than 80 percent say the site’s reviews help them feel more confident in their travel decisions, and help them to have a better trip. Of those polled, 93 percent of respondents feel that a hotel stay is very important to the overall trip experience. However, TripAdvisor users aren’t just looking at accommodation options:
– 77% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting an accommodation.
– 50% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting a restaurant.
– 44% usually or always reference TripAdvisor reviews before selecting an attraction.
The survey also reveals some interesting findings about why travellers write reviews, how they use them when planning a trip and the impact management responses have on their perceptions of properties.
“There is no denying that reviews are a powerful and significant part of the travel planning experience,”
comments Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer, TripAdvisor.
“The results of this study showcase the vital part reviews play, reinforce the idea that we are becoming more social as travellers and demonstrate the essential nature of reviews to hospitality businesses. Not only are travellers referencing reviews before they book, they are clearly more highly engaged by businesses that respond to reviews.”
Source: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TripAdvisorInsights/n2120/24-insights-shape-your-tripadvisor-strategy