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STAY YOUR OWN WAY

We speak to Rob Whyte, director of Boutique Collections, about the rise
of travel websites that rely on user-generated content, and the problems
that can arise for travellers and accommodation providers alike.

Th e opportunity to travel away from home for TripAdvisor claims to be the largest travel site in “When a website grows, there is a potential for
pleasure or business, both within Australia and the world with more than 60 million members a loss of vigilance regarding the accuracy of
further afi eld, has become a reality for an ever- and more than 170 million travel-related reviews. the information that is published, and for the
increasing number of Australians. However, It has become a powerful force in spreading intrusion of other considerations and infl uence
every night of absence from home necessitates opinions about all aspects of travel. over the content by third parties or competitors.”
fi nding somewhere to rest and, over longer Rob says information published in such a way TripAdvisor and similar sites contain
periods, to facilitate relaxation and enjoyment. has the potential to make or break a business information about the wide spectrum of available
Before the internet, booking accommodation in and, therefore, a high level of accuracy is to be accommodation, but for travellers focussed on a
advance was mainly done through travel agents expected. particular style of accommodation, it may not be
or by telephone, with little information to assist the best source of information.
the process apart from a few photographs and “Before the internet, Th e growing trend towards the sharing economy,
promotional material published by the owner. where privately-owned houses and apartments
However, with the advent of the internet came booking accommodation are made available for letting, has created a
the opportunity to provide information on an in advance was mainly niche market off ering an alternate perspective
unprecedented scale. “Travellers could search on accommodation. Along with that, the
for themselves and compare many aspects of done through travel opportunity to obtain and publish genuine,
the alternatives available to make an informed agents or by telephone” reliable reviews has the potential to dilute the
decision about which accommodation would infl uence of sites such as TripAdvisor and
best suit their needs,” says Rob. eliminate the possibility of reviews and opinions
“Th e next development was the publishing of “People who seek to rely on information about that may be selective or tainted by bias.
other travellers’ opinions on places they had the experiences of others need to have confi dence
visited, where they had stayed and it wasn’t long that the information is honest and that it has not theboutiquecollection.com.au
before sites devoted to collecting and publishing been infl uenced by the self-interest of others,” he
these opinions began to appear,” he says. says.
PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE 51