TripAdvisor has announced a new study on review trends, which shows that the average review rating of Indian accommodation on TripAdvisor has seen a steady rise in the past 10 years, increasing by over 10 per cent from3.69 (out of a possible five) in 2004 to 4.09 in 2014. According to the study, the average accommodation review rating for India trailed behind the global average, but research illustrates that the gap has narrowed in recent years.
A closer look at the average accommodation review rating by global TripAdvisor’s travellers across 10 Indian cities revealed properties in Jaipur had the highest average review rating historically (see Graph 1 in Appendix). In 2014, accommodations in Jaipur earned an above global average review rating of 4.28, out of a possible five. On par with the 4.12 global average, New Delhi properties were given the second highest review ratings by global travellers.
The study showed that the average review rating of bed & breakfasts (B&B) globally has consistently risen in strength in the past 10 years, indicating travellers are more satisfied overall with their B&B experience.
The study also revealed some interesting insights into the preferences of different types of travellers. For example, business travellers are the most discerning, awarding the lowest average review rating to both B&B’s and hotels compared to other types of global travellers. Couples are the most satisfied, giving hotels and B&Bs the highest average review rating amongst all types of travellers.
Further analysis into review by room count over the last five years (from the start of 2010 to the end of 2014) revealed properties with 25 rooms or less received the highest average review ratings by global travellers (4.36 out of 5). However, properties with 251 rooms or more were also highly rated by travellers (4.05 out of 5), suggesting that travellers are equally drawn to the wide array of amenities offered by large properties and resorts, as well as the intimate experience offered by smaller properties.
