According to a new global study across 23,000 respondents in 12 markets, online reviews continue to influence hotel, restaurant and experiences booking decisions.
TripAdvisor and Ipsos MORI have released the findings of their joint study, with more than four out of five (85%) participants reporting that the reviews they read on TripAdvisor accurately reflect their experience, with 86% agreeing that TripAdvisor makes them feel more confident in their booking decisions.
“These findings show how important travellers find real perspectives from real people when they are planning their trips,” said Becky Foley, Sr. Director, Trust and Safety at TripAdvisor. “While there are thousands of places to get travel information online, people keep coming back to TripAdvisor because they are guided by the reviews and can confidently plan the trip that’s right for them.”
Participating TripAdvisor users cited the descriptive and helpful reviews (70%), the accuracy of the content (62%) and the broad range of travel content (62%) as their primary reasons for visiting the site.
72% of respondents said they always or frequently read reviews before making a decision on places to stay and eat, or things to do. The figure is even higher when it comes to accommodation bookings, with four out of five participating travellers (81%) always or frequently reading reviews before booking a place to stay.
Nearly 8 out of 10 TripAdvisor users (79%) are more likely to book a hotel with a higher bubble rating when choosing between two otherwise identical properties, and over half (52%) agree that they would never book a hotel with no reviews.
– 78% focus on the most recent reviews
– 39% ignore extreme comments
– 55% read multiple reviews across several pages
Methodology
The Power of Reviews project surveyed 23,292 TripAdvisor users across 12 markets (Australia, China, France, German-speaking, India, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States) between May and June 2019. The survey targeted users who had visited the site in the last 12 months. The sample is made up of TripAdvisor users who had opted into a survey panel and were invited to participate in the research via an email link directing them to an online survey platform. Ipsos MORI were involved in questionnaire design and data analysis. Results are weighted to represent the residency profile of TripAdvisor users across participating markets.
