The travel bug is back in a big way! Though travelers are increasingly turning to online reviews for guidance, this trend presents a double-edged sword for travel and hospitality businesses. This is because positive reviews put the business’s reputation on a pedestal, and negative ones can leave a lasting dent.
This comprehensive guide examines the 13 most influential travel review sites. We’ll explore how to leverage each platform to its fullest potential, helping you secure more user-generated reviews, valuable customer insights, and, ultimately, more bookings.
Table of contents
Top 13 travel review sites to elevate your business
Here’s the list of the top 13 travel review sites:
- Orbitz
- Hotels.com
- Travelocity
- Priceline
- Booking.com
- Kayak
- HotelsCombined
- Airbnb
- Hostelworld
- Foursquare
- Lonely Planet
1. Google
Travel and hospitality companies with a Google Business Profile (GBP) are a winner because Google is one of the most preferred review sites.
Its navigation service, Google Maps, incorporates user reviews and ratings for various businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and landmarks.
Travelers can read reviews directly on the map and get insights about a specific location.
Here’s what popped up when I typed “hotels in Copenhagen.”
Because of the visibility of these search results, your business must look great on Google. A good way to elevate your profile is to get more Google reviews.
2. Facebook
Surprised to find Facebook as one of the best travel review sites? Well, don’t be. The social media giant has evolved into a platform where users can find and share travel reviews.
While it’s not a typical travel review site, Facebook’s vast user base and interconnected community make it a significant player in the travel review space.
What makes Facebook more popular than other travel review sites?
Many travelers turn to Facebook because it’s more accessible to:
Seek recommendations
Users can tap into their network and receive personalized travel suggestions and advice from their friends, family, and acquaintances by posting a status or question on Facebook. This feature is a valuable resource as its reviews are more authentic.
Know about niche/popular travel groups and page
These communities focus on specific destinations, travel styles, or interests, letting travelers connect with like-minded individuals and gain valuable insights.
Businesses get personal and can demonstrate their reputation
Hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies with Facebook profiles can provide information directly and allow users to leave reviews. This helps travelers read firsthand experiences and make an overall assessment of them.
Pro tip: Though Facebook doesn’t feature travel ratings, like the traditional 5, 4, or 3-star rating format, users can “Recommend” or “Not Recommend” your business.
Keep in mind that many travel sites don’t allow video reviews, so Facebook is a great place to see a business or destination before committing.
3-5. Expedia (Orbitz, Hotels.com, Travelocity)
The Expedia Group includes sites like Orbitz, Hotels.com, and Travelocity. These sites together represent a large chunk of the travel review ecosystem. To get your business listed on these sites, visit the Expedia Group’s Partner Services page.
6. Priceline
With 188 million average monthly pageviews, Priceline is one of the largest travel review sites on the internet. It’s a great place to list your business.
7-9. Bookings (Booking.com, Kayak, and HotelsCombined)
If you’re a property owner looking for bookings, Booking.com is one place where you need to get listed. Booking.com boasts over 29 million listings, including hotels, apartments, and vacation homes.
Booking.com also owns Kayak and HotelsCombined, two more travel sites that allow travelers to leave reviews, compare rates of different hotels, and find transportation options.
10. Airbnb
While Airbnb is primarily a booking platform, it also contains guest reviews. If you have a listing on Airbnb, it’s important to keep track of what your guests say on this platform. Check out our guide to Airbnb reviews.
11. Hostelworld
As you might guess from the name, Hostelworld allows travelers to find and book hostels, hotels, and bed & breakfasts all over the world.
Although not primarily a review site, it features user-generated reviews and ratings for deals and experiences. List your business on Hostelworld to start getting bookings from more travelers worldwide.
12. Foursquare
While Foursquare started as an app where customers could check in to businesses, it’s now one of the most popular review sites on the internet.
Here’s your guide to creating and updating your Foursquare business listing.
13. Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet has long been a go-to resource for independent travelers seeking authentic experiences. Their team of travel experts provides firsthand knowledge and recommendations based on their personal experiences, from popular tourist hotspots to off-the-beaten-path adventures.
Lonely Planet encourages user-generated content, interactive maps, and online resources for enhanced planning allowing travelers to share their own experiences and recommendations.
Best tips to get more customers from travel review sites
So now that you know the most important travel review sites, what can you do to attract more customers to your business?
Here are some best practices that’ll help you take full advantage of each one of these sites:
Send customers review requests
As per Birdeye’s survey of online reviews, 92% of its review requests in 2023 were automated:
- With 60% of review requests were sent via email
- Average open rate for email review requests was 20%
- Click-through rates were 7%
This shows that customers are growing in demand for convenience. So always make sure that after you’ve serviced them, you quickly send a link so they can leave a review on Google or another specific review site you want.
For that, ensure you’ve created a profile that’s both comprehensive and visually appealing. A well-designed profile, makes your business look more professional and upbeat. To achieve that, consider including:
- Accurate contact information
- High-quality images
- Compelling description of your services and amenities
While collecting reviews across these travel review sites is tough, a tool like Birdeye can make it easy. Birdeye review management allows you to request guest reviews on multiple sites and have a uniform dashboard to reply to and engage with reviews in real-time.
Looking for tips on how to manage your online reputation? Check out our comprehensive audio guide. It covers everything you need to know about the subject in less than 15 minutes.
Monitor your reviews
Reviews act as social proof and can attract more potential customers, so:
Encourage positive reviews
Provide exceptional customer service and ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on your preferred travel review sites.
Engage with negative reviews and resolve quickly
Usually, only customers who feel that they had strongly negative experiences are motivated to leave a review. Show appreciation for the feedback and address any concerns or issues raised in a timely manner.
Engage with the travel community
Participate in travel-related forums, discussions, and groups on these review sites. Do it from your business’s social media profile and
- Contribute valuable insights
- Answer questions
This will humanize your business as a knowledgeable and trustworthy resource and attract new customers.
While it’s tough to monitor reviews across all of these different travel review sites, AI-powered tools like Birdeye can make it easy. In the Birdeye Review dashboard, you can:
- See reviews from 200+ sites
- Translate reviews and responses with AI
- Auto-reply to customer reviews with personalized templates
There’s no need to go to individual sites one by one. You can even leave responses within the dashboard and watch your response appear on the site where the review was originally posted.
Promote your reviews
When you get a great review, don’t just leave it there. Share it with the world. Nobody can sell your business quite like your customer, and a convincing one can be a valuable review marketing tool.
Showcase your uniqueness
Emphasize unique features, special offers, or outstanding experiences that make your business attractive to travelers.
Collaborate with influencers
Partner with influential travel bloggers, vloggers, or social media personalities who can review your business and share their experiences with their audience.
With Birdeye, you can automatically share your 5-star reviews on your social media profiles. Birdeye’s review widget allows you to share a live feed of your reviews on your website, so all of your website visitors can see the opinions of your happy customers.
FAQs about travel review sites
Here are some of the best travel review sites:
1. Facebook
2. Google Maps
3. Expedia
4. Lonely Planet
You can post travel reviews on most travel sites – especially the popular ones. These sites all feature customer reviews and ratings that help travelers get a better idea of what to expect when traveling to a destination. In order to post on a travel site, you’ll most likely need to create an account on that site.
When looking for vacation reviews, travel sites are a great resource because traveler reviews give you a better understanding of what to expect and recommendations of where to visit. This information will help you make informed decisions about your vacation plans.
You can find trustworthy travel reviews by searching on Google or visiting popular travel sites like Expedia. These resources offer authentic reviews from people who have actually visited the destination and can offer travel tips and recommendations.
Yes, all the travel review sites mentioned in this article are free. However, some may offer premium features or additional services at a cost.
Yes, you can trust Expedia as it is one of the largest and most well-known travel review sites, with millions of user-generated reviews and ratings.
Yes, Expedia’s reviews are trustworthy. Here are a few things to watch out for:
Look for a balance between positive and negative reviews.
Check for recent updates and ensure that the information you rely on is current.
Consider the context of the reviews, the reviewer’s background, and their specific requirements.
Tourist review sites allow travelers to share their experiences, opinions, and recommendations about tourist destinations, accommodations, restaurants, attractions, and activities.
Deciding whether Expedia or Google reviews are better depends on several factors and personal preferences:
1. Expedia may be a better option if you are looking for a dedicated travel platform with a comprehensive database and a strong travel community.
2. Google reviews may be more suitable if you prefer seamless integration with mapping services and a broader user base.
Reach more customers by getting listed in these travel review sites and improve your online reputation with Birdeye
Don’t fall behind on a single travel review site. Birdeye allows you to monitor reviews on 200+ sites like Google, Facebook, and Expedia. Find out why over 150,000 businesses use Birdeye to be found and chosen.
About the Author
Shruti Dugar
Birdeye
Originally published
