Publicly posted reviews of tourism service providers influence travel decisions. Providers are compelled to consider their customers' feedback and improve their experience.

The May Day holidays are approaching, a time when many Slovenians take advantage of a short vacation. Will you too? If so, did you perhaps consider tourist reviews when choosing a destination, accommodation, restaurants, etc.? In hospitality and tourism, rating providers and checking past reviews before making a decision is practically a given.

Recently, travel purchasing decisions have changed considerably. Before 2000, we primarily turned to travel agencies for trip planning. Travel agents actively helped us plan the perfect holiday or dream vacation. With the expansion of the internet and the information it offers, planning has moved to the online world. Now, we read the experiences and opinions of travelers who have already visited our chosen destinations online. Online portals like Tripadvisor or Booking, where travelers review destinations, excursions, accommodations, etc., help us with this. These online platforms have created a new way of planning trips, where customers consider the experiences of previous travelers when making decisions. Their feedback provides future travelers with a good insight into what they can expect. It gives them a credible picture of what they will get for their money. When planning a trip, customers visit an average of 38 websites (source: Vector ITC Group) to make decisions about destinations, excursions, and hotels. Even customers who still make the final booking at a physical travel agency branch conduct online research and itinerary planning. The number of bookings made directly through websites and smartphones is also increasing.

The Real Impact of Feedback in Tourism

Feedback found in the tourism sector is useful at every step of the customer's purchase journey. It describes the quality of services and specific positive or negative experiences that travelers or guests have had. Customers who read these experiences feel well-informed and capable of making good decisions.

Given the availability of feedback and its impact on travel decision-making, tourism providers have had to adapt their sales strategies.

They have been forced to consider their customers' voices and improve their experience. This means they must actively monitor all feedback from their travelers and incorporate it into service improvements. In Spain, a study was conducted in 2017 showing that 85% of travelers browse review websites of tourism providers when planning a trip (source: Travelport). However, 73% still consult a travel agent before making a decision. This demonstrates that the online world has not completely replaced traditional methods but plays an important role in decision-making. And this role will only continue to grow. Providers will have to adapt to this trend and place their customers' needs at the center of their business strategies.

Whether they like it or not, companies must know the critical points in their customers' purchasing process. This is enabled by constant analysis of feedback, which provides good insight into the quality of their own services. Through this, companies learn what they are doing well and what they are doing poorly, allowing them to offer a service that fully meets their customers' needs.