How much value do your guests place on the opinions of others online? 
Have they lost trust in review sites or do they still form a crucial component of the booking process?
A new study looked at the way travel consumers interact with online reviews before making a purchase decision.
The findings suggest travel consumers are wising up to the prevalence of fake reviews online and getting better at how to spot them.
- 70% of those that used review sites as part of the booking process revealed they are prepared to read up to 20 reviews before choosing a property
- 85% considered a review authentic if there was comparable content online, while reviews that stood out as differing too greatly from others or came across as excessively positive were treated with suspicion.
- Around 46% like to see pictures and videos, while 39% said they were most trusting of the most current reviews.
- When confronted with a review that appears to be inauthentic, 35% don’t book and 18% tell their friends about the suspected trickery.
Read more New Research Into Travel Reviews: Spotting Fakes and Making Decisions Online