The Innkeeping Blog

The presence of TripAdvisor in our marketplace is the definitive double-edged sword, and a very sharp one at that. On one side of the sword you have the opportunity for exposure to millions and millions of visitors to their web site, and the chance for potential guests to read glowing reviews from REAL PEOPLE who stayed at your inn. And you don’t even have to pay membership fees or a commission on bookings! If you have frequent and recent positive reviews, you might even get a high ranking in your marketplace. Nothing like being able to say “Ranked #1 by TripAdvisor in XYZ City” on your web site. On the other side of the sword you have the frustration and fallout of negative reviews (real, embellished or just plain false – many times with no recourse). There are features of the site (both obvious and subtle) that move visitors away from properties that do not share a piece of the revenue with the triumvirate of Expedia.com, Hotels.com and/or TripAdvisor, and towards properties that do (by-and-large hotels). And how many of you have been simply threatened with negative reviews on TripAdvisor? A double-edged sword indeed.

TripAdvisor has been lightly involved with PAII, having attended our 2007 convention in Myrtle Beach as an exhibitor and speaker, and sending a representative to participate in our State of the Industry panel discussion at the 2008 event. I’ve had some chats with their senior staff about various issues from time-to-time. Recently, though, I approached TripAdvisor about having a better working relationship. After all, there are over 15,000 B&Bs and inns on their directory (we help bring traffic in their direction), and their impact on our industry is indisputable. I shared with the membership that I have been intending to step-up PAII’s dialogue with TripAdvisor. I’ve received several different opinions on the way in which we should or should not deal with TripAdvisor, ranging from organizing a class action lawsuit to seeking an official advisory position among their leadership. I’ve been advised that we should become close allies with them, as well as criticized for giving them more significant deference than the online review sites born in our own innkeeping industry. While the best path forward hasn’t been cleared yet, there is no arguing against the need for someone to represent the interests and concerns of our industry with TripAdvisor.

TripAdvisor has a power-grip on the online review phenomenon in the lodging industry, but there are indeed other players. BedandBreakfast.com has a robust online review system, and BnBfinder.com and iloveinns.com have opportunities for guests to leave reviews of properties listed with their directories. While I hope we don’t see more and more online review programs in our industry, thereby further frustrating innkeepers (who seem to have enough trouble suggesting guests leave reviews online in the first place), I do think innkeepers would do themselves and this industry a favor by supporting the review programs of online B&B directories. It wouldn’t take much to include links in your thank you emails and on your web sites to your review pages on BnBfinder.com, BedandBreakfast.com or iloveinns.com. Your most satisfied customers might want to leave positive reviews all over the internet, and your potential guests may want to read reviews on sites OTHER than TripAdvisor – so help them out! Plus, competition can be a good thing.

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