The travel and tourism industry is driven by reviews. Before booking a vacation, most people head to sites like Trip Advisor, purchase travel books, and look to social media for advice. If your business has reviews on social media, external sites, and included in your travel website design, customers will see you as more reputable and appealing. The following are just some of the proven benefits of generating customer reviews.

  1. Customers value authentic testimonials. When people are looking for a good or service, they often go to their friends and family for recommendations. Online customer reviews replicate this experience. In fact, according to Search Engine Land, 88% of consumers trust these reviews as much as personal recommendations.
  2. Reviews influence booking decisions. Since people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, there is no question that this content will inform their purchasing decisions. When a potential customer sees positive reviews about your campground or bed and breakfast, they will be more likely to choose your business over one without reviews.
  3. Your website will look more legitimate. Including reviews in your travel website design will diversify your onsite content, giving page visitors a more complete experience. This gives your online tourism marketing an extra boost. Pair these features with strong photos, well-crafted web copy, and an engaging social media presence to watch your online interaction grow.
  4. Reviews can boost your SEO. Offsite testimonials are great for generating more inbound leads. Search engines will also notice that you are a well-established, updated, and relevant website amongst your competition. Just be sure to continuously encourage these reviews to keep up this momentum.
  5. You will know how you can improve. Marketing aside, more honest reviews mean that your business can constantly gauge customer satisfaction. If you receive a negative review, be sure to respond and address the issue. This attention to detail will hold your business more accountable to customer experience.

Studies show that your search engine presence matters above many other online features. About 44% of online shopping experiences start with a search engine, and the same often goes for tourism experiences. By staying attentive to your online presence and customer engagement, you will grow as a travel company and begin to rank higher than your competitors.