Different generations interact with guest reviews differently.
NB: This is an article from TrustYou
Our latest consumer research reveals how hotels and destinations can adapt their offering for younger and older travelers. Technology has changed the way we book travel.
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We have endless resources to research destinations, check out photos of the places we hope to visit, and many channels to read actual guest reviews.
Read our general findings on what travelers pay attention to when reading and writing reviews here.
#1 The most avid readers and review writers are…
Millennials and Gen Zs! Compared to Baby Boomers and Gen Xs, they read and write more reviews. Travelers aged 18-39 are more inclined to leave a review if their experience was positive. However, there are no significant generational differences in giving feedback after experiencing issues. Both age groups have similar behaviors regarding negative experiences.
84% of younger travelers frequently read reviews before booking, compared to 67% of older travelers.
66% of Millennials and Gen Zs are writing online reviews. Only 45% of Baby Boomers and Gen Xs leave feedback after a stay.
37% of Millennials and Gen Zs always leave a review if their experience was positive, compared to 24% of Baby Boomers and Gen Xs. There are no significant generational differences in writing reviews after experiencing an issue.
#2 Hotel’s website is #1 for reading reviews for…
Baby Boomers and Gen Xs! They prefer to go straight to the source when scanning feedback. Millennials and Gen Zs are not so far from them, and the percentage of those who read a review on the hotel’s website is very close to the 40-65 age group. Interestingly, this is not their first go-to source for consulting online evaluations. The favorite channel for the Millennials and Gen Zs (18-39) is Google. Other booking platforms, such as Booking.com, Expedia, and Hotels.com, are more popular among younger travelers.
#3 The go-to places for leaving reviews
Our recent study shows similar reading and writing behaviors for both generation groups. Travelers aged 18-39 are more likely to leave a review on a booking platform or search engine, with Google being their top preference. A hotel’s own survey is the channel that shares similar usage across both age groups. However, compared to other channels, it seems to be the most preferred by older travelers.
