An independent study among 12,000 global travellers conducted by PhoCusWright in late 2013 on behalf of travel site, TripAdvisor, reveals that more than half of the respondents would not make a hotel booking until they read reviews about the property.
The study, which analysed the impact of online reviews on traveller's trip planning stage, came up with the following findings:
Visitations at TripAdvisor - 29% of respondents visit the site several times a month.
- 12% check the site at least once a week.
- 26% regularly use the site more than once a week.
- Overall, this means that 67% visit TripAdvisor a few times a month or more.
Reasons for accessing TripAdvisor- More than 80% said the site's reviews help them feel more confident in their travel decisions, and help them to have a better trip.
- 93% of respondents feel that a hotel stay is very important to the overall trip experience.
- TripAdvisor users are not just looking at accommodation options when visiting the site. While 77% are usually or always referencing the site reviews before selecting a hotel, 50% do the same before selecting a restaurant, and 44% for an attraction.
How travellers use reviews- 53% of respondents will not book a hotel that does not have reviews.
- 73% look at traveller submitted photos as they help them make choices.
- 65% are more likely to book hotels that win awards from TripAdvisor.
- 64% tend to ignore extreme comments when reading reviews.
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