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Hospitality Net
a day ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Decoding Guest Feedback: Insights on AI and Review Trends for Hoteliers
The world of guest reviews is constantly moving. New technologies are changing how guests share feedback. They also change how hotels manage their online reputation. It is a critical part of hotel management. For hoteliers, staying ahead of these trends is not just an option. It is essential for success. A recent Shiji Buzz Webinar brought together leading industry leaders to discuss the future of guest reviews and what hoteliers need to know in 2025. Hosted by Andre Baljeu from the webinar included Rodica Buzescu, Group Product Marketing Manager at Diana Villanueva, Online Reputation Specialist at HM Hotels, and Jessica Kurtz, Global Product Ambassador with Reviewpro Reputation. They covered everything from updated scoring systems to the rise of Artificial Intelligence. Takeaways Embrace recency. New weighted scores mean recent reviews matter most. Your current efforts to improve are rewarded much faster. Integrated platforms are a necessity. Replace patchwork systems with integrated platforms. A 'one-stop shop' for reviews improves efficiency and data insights. API-First is fundamental. APIs are essential for connecting your hotel software. They ensure seamless data flow for better operational efficiency. Use AI as a Co-Pilot. Use AI to draft review responses for efficiency. But always maintain human oversight to protect your brand voice. Turn complaints into clarity. Use negative feedback as a free marketing audit. Clarify your offerings and solve issues in-house first. Why new reviews matter most A major topic was the changing value of reviews over time. has recently updated its system, shifting from a simple three-year average to a new model that places greater weight on the most recent reviews. This change was a direct response to feedback from hoteliers who felt that old reviews unfairly impacted their current reputation. This new, dynamic score more accurately reflects a hotel's current reality. It rewards properties for their current efforts and improvements. Diana shared her initial reaction, noting that her team quickly saw the benefits. The new system provides a more accurate representation of a hotel's current state, particularly for properties that have undergone recent renovations. Their hard work is no longer held back by outdated feedback. This approach aligns with other platforms, such as Google, and is becoming an industry standard. This sentiment was echoed by Jessica, who explained that Reviewpro Reputation's own Global Review Index (GRI) has always prioritized recency to show a potential guest what a stay would be like today, not years ago. The anatomy of a modern review The way guests write reviews is also evolving. People are moving away from long, wordy essays. Instead, feedback is becoming more concise. Platforms are innovating to capture this by asking for 'tidbits of information' and using multiple-choice questions. This makes leaving feedback quicker and less overwhelming for the guest. Despite this brevity, data presented by Reviewpro Reputation shows that text comments remain vital. In the first quarter of 2025, over 66% of reviews still included text, an increase from the previous year. This text is crucial because it provides the context behind a score, which hoteliers need to make meaningful improvements. In response, hotels are getting faster. The average time to respond to a review has been cut in half, from six days to just three in the last two years. This speed is critical. A fast reply is not just for the guest who wrote the review; it is for all potential guests who will read it. Harnessing technology Managing reviews across many platforms is complex. Technology integrations offer a powerful solution. When an OTA like connects directly with a reputation management platform like Reviewpro Reputation, the benefits are immediate. Using guest reviews API, it creates a central hub for hotel teams to respond to all reviews without needing to log into multiple systems. This integration greatly improves efficiency and security. More importantly, it provides deeper insights by pulling in detailed departmental scores for things like service and cleanliness. This granular data helps managers pinpoint exact areas needing attention. One analysis showed that after integration, the average response time for hotels dropped from two weeks to just five days. Make AI your ally, not your replacement, right? We're not replacing your responses with AI. We want to be your co-pilot. We want to work hand in hand, but the end decision of that response is still the hotelier. Jessica Kurtz AI as a Co-Pilot Artificial Intelligence is the next major force shaping review management. Recognizing that hotels were already using tools like ChatGPT, technology providers like Reviewpro Reputation have integrated this power directly into their platforms. The conversation stressed a key point: this technology should be seen as an ally, not a replacement. The AI acts as a co-pilot, reading a guest's review and suggesting a draft response to save teams time. The hotelier can customize the tone, length, and signature to ensure the reply aligns with the hotel's brand. As an early adopter of Reviewpro's AI tool, Diana emphasized that the human touch remains essential. An employee must always review, edit, and personalize the text to ensure the hotel is truly listening. If review management is only about replying, then in my opinion, we are losing the most important part of guest feedback, which is to listen and to improve. And for that, you need real people behind it. Diana Villanueva Turning negative feedback into a positive strategy Negative reviews are an unavoidable part of the business. The panel offered clear advice: treat these reviews as a learning opportunity. If a guest complains about a missing amenity, the first step is to ask why they expected it and audit your marketing on and other channels for clarity. This prevents future disappointment. When responding, turn the negative into a marketing moment. Acknowledge the issue, then highlight another great feature. The best strategy, however, is to solve problems before they become negative reviews. Anything that you can fix earlier during their stay is gold. Anything you do with responding to guest reviews afterward, it's great and it impacts your future guests. But it feels to me like it's a place where we should all invest a bit more time. Rodica Buzescu The future is responsive The landscape of guest feedback is more dynamic than ever. The conversation made it clear that a passive approach is no longer viable. Hotels must be proactive and technologically adept. They need to understand the new rules of recency. They should embrace tools like integration and AI to become more efficient. Ultimately, managing guest reviews is about more than just a score. It is a continuous cycle of listening, responding, and improving. It is a core function of modern hotel operations and marketing. By embracing these changes, hoteliers can build a stronger reputation. They can also foster deeper loyalty with their guests. The future of guest feedback is here, and it is time to engage. Watch the full webinar here: About Shiji Group Shiji is a global technology company dedicated to providing innovative solutions for the hospitality industry, ensuring seamless operations for hoteliers day and night. Built on the Shiji Platform—the only truly global hotel technology platform—Shiji's cloud-based solutions include property management system, point-of-sale, guest engagement, distribution, payments, and data intelligence for over 91,000 hotels worldwide, including the largest hotel chains. With more than 5,000 employees across the world, Shiji is a trusted partner for the world's leading hoteliers, delivering technology that works as continuously as the industry itself. That's why the best hotels run on Shiji—day and night. While its primary focus is on hospitality, Shiji also serves select customers in food service, retail, and entertainment in certain regions. For more information, visit View source
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Mistakes People Make When Booking Travel Through Third-Party Websites
Expedia. Skyscanner. Priceline. These days there are countless third-party platforms for booking flights, hotels, rental cars and other aspects of the travel experience. While these websites can make the planning process feel more seamless and convenient, there are some potential drawbacks that are important to understand before you make any reservations. Below, travel experts share the common mistakes people make when booking trips through a third-party service ― and their advice for avoiding these errors during your travels. Travel booking websites can be great for comparing prices across different providers and potentially finding exclusive deals. But you're often going to see the same costs across platforms ― including the travel vendor's direct website. 'You should not assume online travel agencies have the lowest prices,' said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer. 'While coupons and other promotions can make it appear that you are saving a lot of money, you should always check directly with the airline or hotel.' When booking a flight, you should check the prices on the airline websites, as well as results on search engines like Google Flights. As you look for accommodations, compare rates on hotel websites and third-party booking systems. 'In many cases, hotels will guarantee the cheapest rate when booking directly with them. In certain situations, third-party booking sites will hide resort fees until the very last moment or put them in an easy-to-miss spot.' 'You should not book airfare with an online travel agency if there is a chance you may take advantage of the federal 24-hour cancellation rule,' Dengler said. The U.S. Department of Transportation has mandated that air carriers allow customers who purchased tickets at least seven days before a flight's scheduled departure to cancel their reservation and receive a full refund without penalty within 24 hours of booking. 'Unfortunately, the flight must be booked directly with the airline,' Dengler noted. 'That means third-party booking sites do not have to honor the rule, which means you could be out of luck if you are looking to cancel within 24 hours. If there is any chance you may need to cancel your flight, check with the third-party booking site before you book to see if they honor the 24-hour cancellation rule.' 'Always read the fine print so that you know their return or refund policy,' said Ciara Johnson, a travel blogger at Hey Ciara. 'For added protection, book with a travel credit card that has insurance in case something goes wrong. If you're not booking for a deal, it's always best to book direct on the company website. It's likely cheaper to book direct anyhow!' Ravi Roth, a queer travel expert and host of 'The Gaycation Travel Show,' echoed this advice. He emphasized being aware of any extra fees or troublesome policies regarding cancellations, itinerary changes and refunds, so you should make sure to read and save your confirmation email with the details. 'I recommend using trusted sites like Orbitz for hotels and Airbnb to book experiences. As for flights, I would try Skyscanner, but while booking, make sure to stick to the major airlines,' Roth noted. 'Sometimes folks can find a super cheap flight, but in the fine print, there is a charge for overhead and checked luggage. I cannot stress enough to read the fine print.' If hotel or airline loyalty points and status are important to you, using a third-party booking site might not be the best move. 'Many online travel agencies let you insert your frequent flyer number or hotel rewards number, but that does not mean you will earn status credit and points,' Dengler explained. 'Some airlines and hotels will allow you to earn status when booking with online travel agencies, but you should make sure first.' 'Third-party booking sites like Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity are also known as online travel agencies, and they are essentially middlemen between you and the airline or hotel,' Dengler explained. 'In other words, your reservation is with them and not the airline or hotel. That means you contact them for customer service instead of the airline or hotel.' So if access to direct customer service with the travel provider is a big deal to you, avoid these third-party platforms when making your reservations and use them as search engines for comparisons instead. 'While the larger online travel agencies have better customer service than the smaller ones, it is still better to talk to the source directly,' Dengler said. 'That is important for both reservation modifications and cancellations. If there is a possibility that there will be severe weather during your trip, I recommend booking directly since there is a real chance you will have to modify or cancel your itinerary.' Because canceling or making an itinerary change can be a bigger hassle through third-party platforms, make sure to pay close attention when you're making your reservation. 'Travelers should just ensure to double-check all of their information, such as travel dates, name and contact information when booking via third-parties,' said Casey Brogan, a consumer travel expert at Tripadvisor. 'Be aware that several budget carriers, most notably Ryanair in Europe, technically don't allow third-party sales of their tickets,' said Marek Bron, a travel blogger at Indie Traveller. 'If you book their flights through a third-party anyway, then this is done through a work-around way that's not supported by Ryanair.' As a result, making cancellations or changes through the third-party site might be more expensive or challenging than it would have been if you booked directly through the airline. Ensure you can actually get an official confirmation with your chosen air carrier or other travel provider when you book through an external system. Not all third-party booking sites and travel agents are created equal. As such, it's important to read the reviews of these services before making your reservations through them. 'Check reviews of these third-party sites, such as on TrustPilot, before booking as some of them are to be avoided,' Bron said. He advised paying extra close attention to mentions of customer service, as you might need this to handle changes or cancellations down the road. 'If working with a travel agent, ensure they have the right qualifications and double-check your reservations with the airlines and hotels,' echoed Jessica van Dop DeJesus, a travel media specialist and blogger at The Dining Traveler. 'Also, look into travel insurance and check with your credit card to see if they provide any travel insurance services.' The Flight Essential Not Enough People Bring On A Plane How To Salvage Your Vacation If It Rains Most Of The Time 10 Mistakes At The Airport That Are Costing You Money
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Spain makes Booking.com scrap 4,000 short-term tourist rentals
Online hotel booking giant on Friday said it had taken down thousands of advertisements in Spain in the leftist government's latest crackdown on illegal short-term tourist rentals. A tourism boom has driven the buoyant Spanish economy but fueled local concern about increasingly scarce and unaffordable housing, a top priority for the minority coalition government. 'We have deleted a very small number of adverts in Spain at the request of the consumer ministry for supplying valid licenses,' said in a statement. The Amsterdam-based platform said the non-compliant adverts represented 'less than two percent' of its 200,000 properties in Spain and that it had always collaborated with the authorities to regulate the short-term rental sector. The consumer rights ministry on Thursday announced had scrapped 4,093 illegal ads, most of them located in the Atlantic Ocean's Canary Islands, a top tourist destination. Spain has also ordered online tourist accommodation giant Airbnb to take down more than 65,000 adverts for violating license rules and has been in a legal battle with the US-based company. The world's second most-visited country hosted a record 94 million foreign tourists in 2024, but residents of hotspots such as Barcelona blame short-term rentals for the housing crisis and changing their neighborhoods. 'We're making progress in the fight against a speculative model that expels people from their neighborhoods and violates the right to a home,' far-left consumer rights minister Pablo Bustinduy wrote on social network Bluesky.
Reuters
26-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Dutch consumer groups prepare legal action against Booking.com, alleging inflated hotel prices
AMSTERDAM, June 26 (Reuters) - Two Dutch consumer groups said on Wednesday they are seeking affected customers for a legal claim against (BKNG.O), opens new tab, one of the world's largest online travel agencies, over what they described as inflated hotel prices since 2013. The Consumer Competition Claims Foundation (CCC) and the Consumers' Association said in a statement that had allegedly been charging consumers too much for hotel rooms for years, leading to "hundreds of millions of euros in damage to Dutch consumers". "We have done research and it shows that Booking has been violating competition rules and consumer law since January 2013," CCC Chairman Bert Heikens said. did not respond immediately to a request for comment. In 2024, the EU's top court ruled that restrictions against hotels offering lower rates on their websites or on rival sites were unnecessary and could reduce competition, but also that such clauses were not anti-competitive under EU laws.
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Yahoo
The 'Noctourism' Trend Is Redefining Travel in 2025—Here's What You Need to Know
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." 'Because the night belongs to…'—well, sorry lovers. With noctourism (also called astrotourism) on meteoric rise, it may be time to tweak Patti Smith's classic rock ballad. In silent twinkles and glowing galaxies, dark skies are calling, and the night now belongs to travelers, who are increasingly following tourism's newest North Star. 'We've seen a significant uptick in night tourism, especially since the 2017 Great American total eclipse. Last year, that accelerated even more,' says Stephanie Vermillion, an astrotourism expert and author of 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Adventures After Dark. As her book and her wide-ranging, past-my-bedtime adventures illustrate, night tourism encompasses more than just spotting the Big Dipper. People are traveling to hunt auroras, for example, or to swim in bioluminescent bays, or watch the synchronous arrival of thousands of nesting loggerheads in Panama. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I spent an evening at the Lāna'i Observatory, dumbfounded by the darkest, vastest obsidian sky and what looked like a universe of diamonds scattered against black velvet. (More on that in a minute). I'm in good company when it comes to going dark. named noctourism one of its top travel trends for 2025, noting that while some adventurers want to pursue nighttime activities like starbathing and constellation-seeking, others want to avoid rising daytime temps or book accommodations without lights to encourage less light pollution and preserve local flora and fauna. The nocturnal travel industry sector, already accounting for $9.3 billion globally, anticipates a 10% growth rate again this year, on top of numbers that have soared since some 20 million people traveled to see the Great American Eclipse. That celestial moment, when we all put our wonky glasses on, gazed upward and collectively gawked at the once-in-a-lifetime solar peek-a-boo, was catalyzing, says Vermillion. 'There were so many people joining together, focused on one thing, all amplified by social media.' Thanks to eclipse-induced piqued curiosity, plus more headlines about space missions, satellites, and new astrological discoveries, and with the expanding reach of organizations like DarkSky International, which advocates for reduced light pollution and certifies International Dark Sky Places—it all adds up to a heavenly moment for those with interstellar interests. And the hospitality industry is taking note. In 2023, DarkSky International launched their DarkSky Approved Lodging program, with the glamping pioneers and outdoor hospitality pros at Under Canvas leading the way. Under Canvas's Lake Powell – Grand Staircase property became the world's first DarkSky-certified resort that year, and their tented portfolio adjacent to national parks across the U.S. now boasts five of DarkSky's seven certified U.S. properties. On a visit to Moab last year, where the luxurious ULUM is Under Canvas's latest affiliate to be certified, I was wowed by the surrounding red-rock geologic wonders by day, but equally mesmerized by the unfathomably vast canopy of stars at night. I came for adventure—to hike through Canyonlands National Park and rock climb at Looking Glass arch, visible from my cushy tent—but it was the after-hours awe that has most stayed with me. Relaxing around ULUM's cozy firepits, toasting marshmallows for s'mores, and simply looking up, transported me to a profound place of serenity. I wasn't just sleeping under a swanky safari-like canvas, I was immersed under a canvas brushed broad with the Milky Way and shooting stars, and I came away with a new-found reverence for the universe's marvels. 'We call it star-bathing,' says Vermillion. 'That meditative aspect of just soaking it up and letting your mind wander.' She encourages people not to get caught up in trying to identify stars or constellations, or fret over equipment. An iPhone can suffice for beginner night photography and numerous stargazing apps offer ready guidance. 'People are looking for new experiences,' Vermillion adds, 'and being outside at night, whether looking at stars or doing other after-dark adventures, brings that. Your senses are heightened, you wonder 'what's that sound?' You become alert in a way that you're not during the day. Night tourism gives us this chance to connect to our primal being.' Plus, there are practical perks. If you're visiting Rome, for example, and opt for a Coliseum tour at night, it's cooler and less crowded, 'and it's a totally different experience after dark,' says Vermillion, now at work on her forthcoming book, Stargazing: an Astrotourist's Guide to North America. While Utah's clear skies are stunning, there's nothing quite like being in the middle of the Pacific, on Hawaii's smallest and least-populated (and un-lit) island, to experience full cosmic jaw-drop. What's more, the sister Four Seasons properties on Lāna'i—Sensei Lāna'i and the Four Seasons Resort Lāna'i—have upped the ante by offering guests exclusive access to their high-tech Lāna'i Observatory featuring a PlaneWave 1 Meter Alt-Az Telescope. 'The Observatory has been open for three years now, and we're booked most every night,' says Isabel Campbell, a Lāna'i native and the observatory specialist. Having grown up on the quiet island, Campbell knew there was good stargazing, 'but until the astronomers who helped us install the telescope started gushing over our lack of light pollution, I never realized how good,' she says. Campbell leads the Observatory's Kilo Hōkū experience that explores Hawaiian ancestral mastery of celestial navigation through uncharted Polynesian waters. The night I visited, she was excited to show us Jupiter's moons and Orion's Nebula. I climbed up short stepladder and peeled my eye to the scope, and there I was: up close and personal with celestial objects and otherworldly astonishment. 'I love seeing people's reactions. I was ecstatic when we first opened, and I still get so giddy, and seeing other people have a similar experience is amazing. To think you're looking at something 32 million light years away, the remnants of a galaxy just like us—it blows your mind,' says Campbell. 'Having an observatory makes the world of astronomy way more accessible for people.' Which is what night tourism is all about—shedding light on the beautiful dark. You Might Also Like Spectacular Gifts for the Most Stylish Women in Your Life 16 Gorgeous Indoor Plants for Homes of All Sizes
