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Subscribe to RSSGo figure. Just when you thought you could trust online user reviews comes word out of the UK that maybe you shouldn’t.
The (Daily) Mail Online reports that the government’s Office of Fair Trading is considering investigating allegations that hotels are offering incentives to guests in exchange for glowing online reviews.
The article cites The Cove Cornwall hotel, in Lamorna, reporting that the property encourages guests to become “brand champions” by posting “honest but positive” reviews on online review sites, including TripAdvisor, Michelin and the Good Food Guide. Once the reviews are posted, guests can receive 10 percent off food and beverages and a “free apartment upgrade.”
Encouraged or not, reviews of The Cove on TripAdvisor are, indeed, mostly positive. Of 87 reviews, 57 rated the hotel excellent, the highest of five categories. Among the most recent accolades: “A peaceful paradise that ticks all the boutique boxes,” “A dream come true” and simply “Wow – what a find!”
Hotel management denies the allegations of bribing guests and trying to manipulate reviews. “In no way are we paying people to put positive reviews on TripAdvisor,” owner Lee Magner told the Mail Online. “We are merely rewarding their loyalty.”
When asked about the situation, TripAdvisor spokesman Kevin Carter told msnbc.com, “Property owners are welcome to encourage their guests to submit user reviews … but it is strictly against our guidelines for businesses to offer incentives, discounts, upgrades or special treatment on current or future stays in exchange for reviews.”
Citing the company’s “zero-tolerance policy” on the matter, Carter added that the company uses automated tools, in-house “detectives” and the site’s millions of users to verify the legitimacy of its 45 million reviews: “We take serious steps to penalize businesses who are caught attempting to manipulate the system and we have indeed penalized those found to be doing so.”
As for the most recent allegations, he said, “We are aware of the situation regarding The Cove and our content integrity team is investigating the matter.”
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Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.
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Yes hotels and resorts do offer incentives for positive reviews. I like to travel to Palm Springs, CA and usually stay at the same place. (hotel will not be mentioned) I was offered a discount on my next visit a few years ago if I would post positive reviews to three websites and in turn "cut and paste" my reviews to the hotel as proff of my work. While I never took advantage of it, and Palm Springs is full of cut-throat hotel owners who will slam the competition using review websites, it is just wrong to do that.
Like my Facebook page to hear my opinion on review quid pro quo, and you could win a fabulous vacation to Maui!
Interesting use of semantics by the hotel owner in this article. No, they are not bribing their guests for reviews, they are simply "rewarding their loyalty". Right, and thats all that lobbyist do in congress.