Travel Remains a Top Priority Even in an Uncertain Economy

It’s up to hoteliers to give travelers the confidence they might need in order to book a property and trip in an uncertain economic environment, said Brian Payea, Head of Industry Relations at TripAdvisor for Business during a conference call yesterday.

A recent TripAdvisor survey of 19,692 travelers found that 88 percent of global travelers say “it is worth making sacrifices to make memories.” Half, or 51 percent, of respondents said they would be willing to sacrifice a night out in order to pay for trip.

TripAdvisor says it’s up to hoteliers to take the second step. A few of the ways that hoteliers using TripAdvisor can inspire confidence are as follows:

• Highlight their awards or notable recognitions
• Write management responses to showcase their commitment to guest services
• Spotlight improvements in response to a bad review
• Capitalize on the increase of short trips by creating ‘Special Offers’

Of course, the Payea, and Sam Thompson, Commercial Director of the Americas, also promoted TripConnect, TripAdvisor’s new metasearch booking tool that is still finding its feet. The executives suggested hoteliers can inspire confidence by being transparent about rates and availability with TripConnect.

The duo also pushed the importance of having fresh positive reviews always on their TripAdvisor page. One executive clearly stated, “Asking for new reviews is one of the essential ways to get higher placement in popularity.”

Finally, the TripAdvisor team pushed the importance of a mobile presence.

The survey mentioned above found that a mobile-friendly website was the most important mobile feature that consumers wanted from their travel business. Thirty-nine percent of travelers want a mobile friendly website, 33 percent want the ability to book on mobile, and 27 percent want access to special offers on mobile.