United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Hotel PR exec admits to posting 100 anonymous reviews on TripAdvisor
Just how reliable are those online hotel reviews?
Accor’s general manager of communications has put TripAdvisor reviews into question again by acknowledging that he anonymously posted more than 100 hotel reviews on the site.
Peter Hook, an Accor general manager of communications based in Sydney, has been posting generally good reviews of Accor properties and generally critical reviews of its competitors for the past few years.
He was identified as Hook by Kwikchex, a company that sells online reputation management software.
A listing for the Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, for example (noting this is his 137th review on the site), includes his comments, "As a first time visitor to Phnom Penh I didn’t know much about the hotel scene so booked a brand I knew well. It turned out to be a good choice."
He gave five stars to the Sea Temple Surfers Paradise, saying, "I took advantage of a good price and really loved it from start to finish."
Hook acknowledged that he wrote the reviews under the name Tavare, and told a number of British newspapers that "every review I have written has resulted from personally experiencing the product."
Noting that he regularly reviews destinations, attractions, restaurants, and other non-hotel products, he said that "because I cover such a wide range of travel experiences, it would not be appropriate to review them as a company representative, hence the pseudonym. However, it is a fair to say that my professional position should have been mentioned in any reviews of hotels."
Hook said he will desist from writing any more hotel reviews.
Cheryl
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Sustainable Tourism: Don Welsh on Community Values and Global Collaboration
Jane Cunningham: Enhancing European Engagement in Tourism
Kristin Dunne: Navigating Destination Strategy
Revolutionizing Mobile Connectivity: Boris Bijlstra on HUBBY eSIM
Capturing Glasgow’s Vibrancy: An Interview with Susan Deighan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Life
Lebua Hotel & Resorts: Rajan Khurana on Hospitality and Bangkok’s Charms
Sustainable Tourism and Growth: Insights from Chiravadee Khunsub from Tourism Authority of Thailand
Revolutionizing Travel: SmartSIM USA’s Dale Takio Unveils the Power of E Sims
TravelMole Interview with Hishan Singhawansa, Deputy CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka
Unveiling the Essence of Magari Tours: A Dive into Authentic Italian Experiences
EU airports bring back 100ml liquid rule
British Airways passengers endure 11-hour 'flight to nowhere'
CLIA: Anti-cruise demos could cause itinerary changes in Europe
Co-pilot faints, easyJet flight issues ‘red alert’
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak