Visual content has become one of the most decisive factors in hotel distribution. Long before a traveler compares prices or reads reviews, they form an impression based on images. Photos communicate trust, set expectations, and strongly influence whether a property is shortlisted or ignored.
NB: This is an article from Shiji
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date
At the same time, hotel imagery is no longer consumed only by humans. Images are now interpreted, classified, ranked, and redistributed by platforms, algorithms, and increasingly by AI systems. This makes image quality not just a marketing concern, but a data quality issue.
To manage this complexity, many hotels and platforms are moving toward structured image quality scoring. The goal is simple: to objectively assess whether a hotel’s visual content is complete, usable, and optimized for modern distribution.
What Is an Image Quality Score?
An image quality score is a standardized way to evaluate the strength of a hotel’s visual content across its listings. Rather than relying on subjective judgment, it uses measurable criteria that reflect how distribution platforms and search systems actually process images.
Most scoring models evaluate both individual images and the overall listing. Scores are typically expressed on a scale from 0 to 100 and are designed to be actionable, helping teams quickly identify where improvements are needed.
While scoring methodologies vary between vendors and platforms, most modern frameworks are built around four core dimensions that align closely with OTA and metasearch requirements.
The Four Core Dimensions of Image Quality
Image Quantity
A hotel needs a minimum number of images to properly represent its property. Too few images limit discoverability, reduce traveler confidence, and restrict how platforms can surface the listing.
Industry benchmarks generally recommend at least 25 images per property to cover key areas such as exterior, lobby, guest rooms, bathrooms, amenities, dining, and surroundings. Listings that meet or exceed this threshold typically achieve the highest score for quantity, while those below it are scored proportionally lower.
Quantity alone does not guarantee quality, but insufficient volume almost always results in weaker performance.
