“Reviews are there to stay; this is a consumer need.” - Tourism professionals’ opinion of consumer reviews on TripAdvisor

Abstract

GOALS OF THE STUDY

Our study focuses on the marketing communications utility of virtual discussions among consumers (e-WOMj. Our research provides insight on how e-WOM is evaluated by the corporate side in the tourism industry.

METHODOLOGY

Systematized analysis of semi-structured expert interviews conducted with seven tourism professionals with experience on e-WOM appearing on TripAdvisor.

FINDINGS

Respondents evaluated positive reviews more in terms of quantity, actual content turned out to have lesser perceived value. An identified reason is that in their experience, the ratio of positive vs. negative reviews is a determining priority for consumers. On the contrary, negative reviews were found to have an emphasized role, with a long-term and greater perceived impact, yet still with little perceived corporate value.
In addition to analyzing professionals' expectations in terms of contents of a “good” review, we identified factors that professionals deemed as value-added elements of consumer reviews. These factors are: specific pieces of information; balanced characterization; advice and recommendations in reviews; adding of personal information; impartiality; consistency; added illustrating content.

MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS

Our study’s main result suggests that there is an actual need for an important corporate attitude shift, going beyond the mere recognition of the consumer need and utility of e-WOM. Our interviews confirmed that experts do actually perceive in their practice a number of effects and mechanisms revealed by previous research, and still they almost unanimously consider e-WOM as no more than a necessary evil.