User-generated content versus professional reviews: it’s a debate that has been rumbling away for some time now. It’s also been brought sharply into focus lately by the ‘great social media explosion’ and question marks about the impartiality and sustainability of travel writing in the press.
Where does TI sit on this question? Well, we’ve always thought that a hotel review – particularly for the rather special hotels featured in the TI collection – shouldn’t just be a question of ‘I like it’ or ‘I hated it’; we also feel that we’ve got a responsibility to provide expert content that really does a place justice.
But the world’s a big place, and there’s always going to be something that our network of travel writers hasn’t been able to cover. So here are our thoughts on a small selection of the main travel review site contenders…
Tripadvisor: In need of no introduction. All too often Tripadvisor gets a bad rep (particularly from some sections of the travel press) because “it’s full of hotels submitting their own reviews”. But that misses the point entirely. Yes, some hotels are going to fluff up their reviews from time to time; but what TA offers is an essential tool in weeding out the horror shows – the places with the cracked windows, mildewed walls and psychotic managers.
In that context, one shining review against a torrent of criticism is as easy to spot as a cockroach in your soup…
Verdict: still the biggest, still the best.
Virtual Tourist: Virtual Tourist seems like it’s been around for as long as the internet itself. And, like it or not, it’s starting to show a bit – not just in the look and feel, but in a slightly antiquated focus (if that’s the right word). The coverage is extensive, and some of it is undoubtedly excellent. But after a while you may find yourself asking: ‘Do I really need to know what hundreds upon hundreds of people think about the Sistine Chapel?’
Verdict: fading away a little?
MyCottageHoliday.co.uk: This one comes a bit out of left field. And strictly speaking, it’s not solely a user-generated content site either. But as a source of holiday cottage reviews, it’s absolutely first-rate. A great selection of holiday cottage rentals for the UK and Ireland, with all the necessary information (provided by users) clearly laid out.
Verdict: a handy place to head for holiday cottages.
Been There: Been There (Guardian Travel’s user-generated arm) has stepped in and filled the void left by the ‘what I did on my holiday’ meanderings of some of the old-timers. The onus is more firmly on specific tips – where to eat/drink/stay etc. – and so has much greater claims to actually being useful to the traveller.
Verdict: an absolutely invaluable research tool.
Boo.com: It was a brave move to take on Boo.com – one of the internet’s biggest and most high-profile flops – but it looks to have shaken off its troubled past. More budget-focused (as you’d expect from a Hostelworld spin-off) it started off as a bit of a mess, frankly, but has recently shown signs that it’s taking shape a bit.
Verdict: starting to come together?
WAYN.com: A different twist: in standing water between ‘networking site’ and travel review site, WAYN.com is another one that’s facing more towards the backpacker end of the market… Not to run it down – its impact has been significant – but has its thunder been stolen a little in recent years by Twitter and Facebook?
Verdict: revolutionary concept – but perhaps a bit hard to see where it’s going?
UGC on TravelIntelligence.com?
TI has always been slanted heavily towards getting well written content from recognised travel writers and reviewers we trust. At the moment we spend an awful lot of time making sure the quality – and reach – of our professional reviews (and our hotel content, generally) is as accurate and extensive as it can be. 2010 will see some changes in the way we approach offering our customers the best possible hotel booking experience…so watch this space!
Tags: Hotel Reviews, Travel Review Sites, User-generated Content
