In addition to a great marketing strategy, visitor reviews and recommendations are the lifeblood of any destination. A recent comScore study tapped into a panel of more than 2 million people and found that 60 percent of travelers worldwide visited Tripadvisor and similar sites while planning a trip and that reviews made by their peers were highly influential in the travel-planning process. Obviously, every DMO is hoping for positive reviews of their destination, accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. But what do you do when the reviews are negative? How do you regain control of the narrative and rehabilitate your destination's image? David and Victoria have a few ideas.

Online Reputation Management

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

David: As we talk about encouraging the conversation, we must remember that there will be those who don't have nice things to say about your destination. Victoria: Avoiding negative comments, reviews and ratings and hoping they just go away is not a strategy. Assigning a person to review and respond appropriately is a strategy. David: Another part of the strategy is knowing when to take the conversation offline. Victoria: Lastly, as you filter through these negative comments, if they are about a stakeholder, attraction or restaurant - share that information with them so that they know the areas they need to improve upon. David: So is all of this worth the effort? A Harvard University study found that a one-star rating improvement resulted in a revenue increase of 9 percent. Watch our video about encouraging positive conversations, and learn a strategy to improve the comments and boost the ratings you are getting in the review process.