Some older travelers remember when sharing vacation memories meant mailing a postcard or waiting to develop film after returning home. Today, real-time sharing is just a tap away—but the nostalgia of those simpler times still lingers.
That’s why keeping an eye on your resort’s customer reviews is something every destination location should prioritize. Travel websites like TripAdvisor say that the average vacationer reads 6 to 12 reviews before they book a resort or hotel. These same respondents say that they’re most interested in recent reviews that give them the freshest feedback.
Whether you’re using a resort public relations strategy that includes press releases and blogs to showcase your property or responding directly to reviews, staying proactive is key. Addressing negative feedback quickly helps protect your resort’s reputation and prevents potential booking cancellations.
Responding to negative reviews
While it’s often hurtful to receive a poor review, you cannot become spiteful in your response. Address your guest by name and thank them for taking the time to point out an issue. If you handle the situation gracefully, it can mitigate the negative review.
Next, apologize to the guest for their experience. You don’t have to admit guilt, but you should acknowledge that the visitor’s experience didn’t live up to their expectations. What you should do is explain how you’ll resolve the issue and offer to continue the conversation privately. A public back-and-forth isn’t a good look for you or the visitor.
Finally, evaluate your overall procedures internally to see if systemic changes are necessary. You don’t want to continue to repeat the mistakes that made this visitor’s experience less than perfect.
How your response builds your positive PR
While most hoteliers know that reviews are a part of business, many don’t consider the long-term ramifications in not responding to bad reviews.
Use press releases and blogs to show your resort in a positive light. Respond directly to guest reviews when possible. Staying ahead of negative feedback protects your reputation. It also helps prevent cancellations and builds long-term guest trust.
At Adventure PR, our experts can help you build a strategy that allows your team to respond quickly and effectively to negative reviews while staying on message.
If you’re ready to build a hotel and resort PR campaign that helps you stay on top of bad reviews while building good will through a variety of content, it’s time to give Adventure PR a call at (865) 977-1973 or contact us online.