The MailOnline earlier this week reported Emma O’Boyle, of TripAdvisor saying, ‘‘Owners are welcome to encourage their guests to submit user reviews upon their return home. ‘But it is strictly against our guidelines to offer incentives, discounts or upgrades. ‘We take serious steps to penalise businesses caught attempting to manipulate the system.’
As the world’s most influential hotel review website, TripAdvisor’s impact on the travel industry has long been clear. A good review can make or break a hotel.
So perhaps it’s not surprising that hotels in Britain and abroad are incentivising guests to write glowing reviews in exchange for cash or cut-price rooms and meals.
The website, which has 45million reviews of more than 500,000 destinations, is a popular first stop for holidaymakers seeking honest opinions about places to stay.
Already 30 properties around the world have been blacklisted for suspicious reviews – and there is a thriving black market in hotels willing to pay people to write positive reviews.
The full story can be seen at The MailOnline