Who is YOUR Trip Advisor?
One issue we encounter over and over these days is tripadvisor.com. Usually, tripadvisor.com is a thorn in our collective travel agent flesh.
The idea of tripadvisor is a good one. I mean, why not gain the collective wisdom of the masses about any given idea or product in order to make a more informed purchasing decision? The problem is that it doesn't really execute well in real life.
Oh, it seems to work beautifully.
You hear about a resort, you go to Trip Advisor to see what folks are saying about that resort. Thumbs up? Thumbs down? What will it be? There is certainly no shortage of opinions on the site. People even email in pictures they've taken themselves.
I recently had a customer booked at a certain resort that I hand picked for him. Several months after booking (still before the trip) he called and wanted to switch to another resort in the same area. He had read some recent poor reviews from some folks on Trip Advisor and was now uncertain about our previous choice. This was a very important trip because he was taking his extended family to celebrate his parents 50th wedding anniversary.
The resort he wanted to move to was sold out by this point. Also, I have been to both of the resorts myself and I know this client well. He would have been happy at the resort he wanted to move to, but I knew he would he happier at the resort we had originally chosen together. He ended up staying at the resort we chose.
He got back a few days ago and reports that they had an outstanding trip. A direct quote from him is that it was "nothing like they said on Trip Advisor".
I should put those words on a plaque and put it on my desk.
The main problem with relying on Trip Advisor is that you don't know the motivation of the people posting the information. Certainly there are lots of honest people just trying to help fellow travelers. Also, there are owners and managers of competitors posting false information in an attempt to raise the ratings of their own places. In fact, I have an ex-brother-in-law who used to own a guest ranch in Colorado. He spent a significant amount of time posting "reviews" of competitors ranches as well as his own.
Objective information? I think not.
If you truly want a reliable "Trip Advisor", develop a relationship with an experienced local travel agent. A travel agent worth their salt is adept at uncovering what is important to you and your family. A travel agent has not only traveled to many of the destinations important to you, but they've also spoken with hundreds of people after they've traveled. What kinds of people have enjoyed this place? What kinds of people did not?
There is a whole world out there. Different things work well for different folks. I've been matching different people up with all kinds of great vacations for close to 20 years.
No website can top that.
The idea of tripadvisor is a good one. I mean, why not gain the collective wisdom of the masses about any given idea or product in order to make a more informed purchasing decision? The problem is that it doesn't really execute well in real life.
Oh, it seems to work beautifully.
You hear about a resort, you go to Trip Advisor to see what folks are saying about that resort. Thumbs up? Thumbs down? What will it be? There is certainly no shortage of opinions on the site. People even email in pictures they've taken themselves.
I recently had a customer booked at a certain resort that I hand picked for him. Several months after booking (still before the trip) he called and wanted to switch to another resort in the same area. He had read some recent poor reviews from some folks on Trip Advisor and was now uncertain about our previous choice. This was a very important trip because he was taking his extended family to celebrate his parents 50th wedding anniversary.
The resort he wanted to move to was sold out by this point. Also, I have been to both of the resorts myself and I know this client well. He would have been happy at the resort he wanted to move to, but I knew he would he happier at the resort we had originally chosen together. He ended up staying at the resort we chose.
He got back a few days ago and reports that they had an outstanding trip. A direct quote from him is that it was "nothing like they said on Trip Advisor".
I should put those words on a plaque and put it on my desk.
The main problem with relying on Trip Advisor is that you don't know the motivation of the people posting the information. Certainly there are lots of honest people just trying to help fellow travelers. Also, there are owners and managers of competitors posting false information in an attempt to raise the ratings of their own places. In fact, I have an ex-brother-in-law who used to own a guest ranch in Colorado. He spent a significant amount of time posting "reviews" of competitors ranches as well as his own.
Objective information? I think not.
If you truly want a reliable "Trip Advisor", develop a relationship with an experienced local travel agent. A travel agent worth their salt is adept at uncovering what is important to you and your family. A travel agent has not only traveled to many of the destinations important to you, but they've also spoken with hundreds of people after they've traveled. What kinds of people have enjoyed this place? What kinds of people did not?
There is a whole world out there. Different things work well for different folks. I've been matching different people up with all kinds of great vacations for close to 20 years.
No website can top that.
posted by Catherine Banks at 7:02 AM
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