Business of reviews
REVIEW platforms have major influence on hotel bookings for business trips, and it is time corporate travel managers take note. This is according to findings from a study by AirPlus.
This trend is most marked in emerging markets like India and China. Many business travellers also regard reviews as having a high degree of credibility.
The study polled 2,180 business travellers from 24 countries.
AirPlus marketing director Yael Klein said employers should incorporate reviews into their travel programmes.
“Companies ought to share their business travel experiences and make reviews about hotel bookings, for instance, available to employees,” he said.
Klein added that reviews by a company’s own employees provide an excellent opportunity to back up internal travel perceptions. Employees tend to trust reviews by colleagues and comply with corporate policy by booking hotels preferred by the company.
“Check whether the provider of your hotel booking tool offers review opportunities. Smart links to platforms that list suitable hotels for corporate travel have proven to be a success with our clients,” Klein advised travel managers.
The survey by AirPlus came on the heels of a recent study by Australia’s Macquarie University which found that travellers tend to disregard mixed and negative reviews. –