Majority of travellers use review sites before booking: Survey
More than three quarters of travellers use review sites such as Yelp and Trip Advisor to conduct research prior to booking services, according to a survey conducted by The GO Group LLC, an international ground transportation provider. More than 150 people responded to the survey, which asked about site usage for accommodations, activities, events and ground transportation.
When asked about use of sites for hotels and other accommodations, 13 per cent of respondents said they always check sites; 31 per cent said they do so frequently, 34 per cent said sometimes and 22 per cent said never.
Fifteen per cent said they always check sites for reviews about tours and activities; 25 per cent and 34 per cent said they do so frequently and sometimes, respectively. The results for checking on attractions and venues were similar were about the same.
Fewer people use review sites for ground transportation. Only 10 per cent said always they did so; 23 per cent said frequently and 40 per cent replied sometimes.
The survey also asked how many people post on review sites. Just three per cent said they always posted on the sites, nine per cent do so frequently; 40 per cent post sometimes and 26 per cent responded they have never posted on a review site.
“In addition to or even in lieu of obtaining information and referrals from close friends and family, more people are opting to use content generated by strangers as a guide for booking travel experiences, says John McCarthy, president, GO Group. “As reliance on online review sites continues to grow, it behooves all of us in the travel-related industries industry to regularly review and respond to posts, and monitor them for potential customer services issues.”
The GO Group LLC is the nation’s largest airport transportation provider, offering shared rides, private vehicles, sedans, charters and tours, serving some 90 airports in North America, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe and transporting more than 13 million passengers per year.