Complete guide to boosting reviews in tourism

In tourism, the voice of the customer is not just heard — it's amplified. Reviews are the heartbeat of the tourism industry, shaping reputations and influencing decisions. From hotels to museums and local transport to event venues, every tourism branch can benefit significantly from positive reviews.

 Let’s explore effective strategies to encourage guests and visitors to leave reviews and the impact these reviews have. We’ll also outline how to leverage tools like Mirador Local to manage reviews for multiple locations and Google Business Profiles.

Why are reviews critical to tourism?

Think of reviews as personal recommendations that are visible to the world. They tell a story of guest experiences, service quality, and the appeal of your offerings.

 Tourism revolves around memorable experiences rather than products, so reviews are authentic advertising. Positive reviews build trust and credibility, which are essential in a sector where choices are primarily based on the perceptions and experiences of others.

Understanding the impact of reviews on customer decisions

Reviews have a direct impact on customer decisions. A glowing hotel review or an enthusiastic account of a city tour can sway potential customers more effectively than any paid advertisement.

 Airbnb guest reviews, for instance, have become a crucial factor in choosing accommodation on the site. Guest reviews for all tourism services offer insight and assurance, influencing tourists’ decision-making.

How to get more reviews in tourism

Encouraging reviews in tourism is about creating memorable experiences and then harnessing their power.

Each sector within tourism has unique opportunities and methods to prompt reviews, so let’s explore them in more detail.

Hotels and accommodation

The key to frequent hotel guest reviews is to make leaving a review as convenient as possible. Send a follow-up email or message thanking guests for their stay and inviting them to leave a review — this enables them to leave feedback in just two clicks of a mouse.

Personal touches, like addressing guests by name or mentioning specific aspects of their stay, shouldn’t be underestimated.

Tour guides

Tour guides possess a distinctive advantage as they spend extensive time with their customers, enabling them to build personal connections that naturally inspire reviews.

Boost the chances of your customers sharing their experience online with a simple reminder at the end of the tour, perhaps coupled with a story about how reviews have helped your business flourish.

Restaurants

Restaurants’ unique edge for reviews is the power to captivate customers with visual presentation and taste. Encouraging guests to share their dining experiences on review platforms, especially with appealing food photos, can effectively attract new customers.

Include reminders on receipts or mention how helpful reviews are at the end of a meal so it’s fresh in diners’ minds as they leave.

Museums

Museums can encourage reviews by creating interactive experiences and engaging visitors throughout their journey.

If you make exhibitions memorable and shareable, it will organically motivate visitors to share their experiences online. However, reminders at critical points will increase the likelihood.  

Attractions and landmarks

The focus for owners of attractions and landmarks should be on ensuring every visit is picture-perfect.

Implement prominent signage encouraging reviews, QR codes linking to review platforms, and staff actively prompting visitors to share their experiences. Combined, these should enhance review engagement.

Transport

Transport providers, including taxis and shuttle services, can boost review quality and numbers by providing exceptional service to riders and following up with a review request via email or text.

Event venues

Event venues can leverage the excitement and emotions of events to prompt reviews. Build an effective strategy by sending follow-up emails after events, asking for feedback and reviews.

Examples of successful tourism Google Business Profiles

Businesses that actively engage with reviewers tend to achieve success through tourism reviews. Responding to positive and negative reviews thoughtfully and constructively can enhance a business's reputation and attract more customers.

 Let’s explore a few examples.

Disneyland Paris

When you Google 'Disneyland Paris', the park’s Google Business Profile immediately appears. This profile is well-optimised, clearly describing the park and listing its address, opening hours, and ticket options.

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This theme park features ticket options from various providers, pulled and ranked by Google  — primarily on price.

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The picturesque scenes at Disneyland Paris offer countless opportunities for beautiful photos, which are ideal for reviews. Impressively, the park boasts 286,257 Google reviews, holding an average rating of 4.5 stars. Some examples of the most relevant reviews include:

While Disneyland Paris receives plenty of positive feedback and has an optimised profile, there’s potential to improve in certain areas. Notably, many negative reviews remain unaddressed, leading to customer dissatisfaction. Actively responding to these negative reviews would allow Disneyland Paris to rectify issues and protect the brand’s reputation.

Companies like Disney, with numerous worldwide theme parks and hotel locations, can effectively manage reviews from all sites on a single dashboard using a multi-location Google Business Profile management tool like Mirador Local.

WONDR Experience Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s WONDR Experience captivates adults and children with its immersive and interactive displays. The major tourist attraction’s Google Business Profile effectively showcases essential information, including pictures, opening hours, address, and phone number, along with a handy 'popular times' graph provided by Google.

 The WONDR Experience boasts 7,964 reviews with an impressive average rating of 4.7 stars.

 Although not all reviews are positive, the WONDR Experience team actively responds to negative reviews by offering customers solutions to improve their experiences.

 Alongside responding to all reviews, the WONDR Experience team actively uses the Q&A and  "posts" features on Google Business to create a well-rounded and optimised profile. This improves the experience for users planning to visit.

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Closing thoughts

Reviews in tourism aren’t just about numbers — they're about narratives that shape your brand's story. Encouraging guests to share their experiences is a critical part of this narrative. Tools like Mirador Local offer a comprehensive solution to manage reviews across multiple locations and Google Business Profiles, helping to streamline this process.

By recognising the significance of reviews, actively prompting guests to share experiences, and adeptly managing reviews, businesses in the tourism sector can substantially enhance their visibility, reputation, and overall success.