TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS'CHOICE: WATER AT YOUR OWN MILL...

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Photo Source: Gaetano Sciacca

This morning, while I was hanging out on the camping site to check that the booking system was working by heart, I absentmindedly noticed that the logo of the certificate of excellence of Trip Advisor is still in 2018 ... Not that there ever is very important, however, as they say in our latitudes, it is a recognition that nevertheless rinses .

And what has happened since 2019?

Apart from a slight increase in reviews on Google (where the review system is perhaps perceived as leaner and faster) compared to Trip Advisor, the quality and quantity of reviews has remained more or less constant. So what? Isn't it by chance that the recent skirmishes to withdraw from the Business Advantage contract (question resolved after months of emails, certified e-mails and phone calls by a kind Customer Success Executive) have influenced?
At this point curiosity creeps into my synaptic connections…

Looking on the internet , I first discover that a lot of things have changed since 2019. For example the Certificate of Excellence scope has been replaced by Tripadvisor Travelers'Choice .
Trip is keen to reiterate that "all prizes will be based on the traveller's choices". Very well, nothing changes then…

To the eventual Travelers' Choice winner , Trip gives a series of memorabilia: "a Travelers' Choice badge on his winning ads", "a promotional kit to help him advertise his results", "a Travelers' Choice 'Choice widget that highlights this recognition on its website ”(obviously linked to TripAdvisor…),“ access to the Travelers' Choice merchandise store where you can purchase special items ”. Honestly, I don't know how much this winner can give a damn about such virtual gadgets, rather to the simple (always as they say in our latitudes) break it with the recognition logo highlighted on the site or appizzato < / em> on the reception door…

On closer inspection, however, a little something seems to actually change…

Tripadvisor Rentals would award The Travelers' Choice award to those with “good reviews” (cheers…), to those who respond to reviews as quickly as possible, “to those who provide travel experiences positive "(that is ?!)

Let's deepen. The Travelers' Choice awards are based on the "overall return of the reference period" (the calendar year), in relation to the following criteria:

- response rate of 95% or higher (I recommend, 95% ... not one percentage point less);

- approval rate of 90% or higher (er… nice reviews?);

- at least 3 complete stays from the beginning of the activity (ah ... I understand ...);

- having received at least 3 bookings (ah! I understand even better…);

- no cancellations of reservations by the owner (oh well ... now it's clear where they want to go);

- having received at least 3 reviews with an average rating of 4 or higher (objectively, for those who work well enough, it's a bit of a bullshit ...)

I have a slight suspicion that, with these new criteria, Trip would like to incentivize the signing of business contracts at gogo…

But we need a confession:

"The algorithm takes into account [...] the presence of the business".

Now it is very clear: obviously the “three complete stays”, the “three bookings” and “no cancellation by the owner”, are possibilities relating to “business” contracts (of which we have already spoken extensively). Basically, ~~if you pay~~ if you enter into a business contract, you have the opportunity to be awarded The Travelers' Choice award . This is the difference with the old Certificate of Excellence .

As long as we are able to work, we will continue to gladly give it up.

Text Source: Antonino Rampulla

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