Hotel reviews and ratings are a popular topic of discussion, with many hoteliers relying on hotel rating sources to validate the quality of their hotel operation and promote it to a broad spectrum of travelers that would otherwise have been too difficult to reach. A key question asked by this survey is what source does a traveler trust most when it comes to hotel reviews and ratings.
New FTC Rule Helps Improve Social Media & Travel Reviews
October 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took a much needed positive step forward by introducing guidelines designed to differentiate between legitimate personal opinions and sponsored commercial endorsements made through social media. Individuals blogging or posting product reviews are now required, under threat of fines up to $11,000 per post, to disclose any material connections between themselves and the companies selling the products they are reviewing. This will improve the accuracy and reliability of hotel reviews and help eliminate unethical practices designed to artificially improve travel industry product rankings.
