Maybe you will find the analysis we made useful. http://blog.miraiespana.com/tripadvisor-business-listing-analysis/

It seems that it does not work for everyone.
Thanks,
Piotr.

It’s not a first port of call for most European voyagers, and certainly not a big enough income generator at this point for us to even consider the outlay demanded for a “partner” listing (even at the current half-price rate).

If the fee for a listing were linked in some way to bookings generated, I might consider it – despite my misgivings about TA’s “customer service”.

Meantime I’ll continue to make it as easy as possible for folks who want to to find us on Google, by using clues in our TA listing!

How are B&Bs supposed to achieve any leverage with TA, besides my constant pestering about several dozen issues and grievances? One way is through being a stream of revenue. I’m not saying all B&Bs should pay the $300 – $1000 per year just so we have collective leverage, but being a source of income for TA – and PAII being one of the only voices for B&Bs – will help us in our efforts. Those efforts include making sure B&Bs are not hidden behind hotels and vacation rental properties; and heretofore it’s been a hard argument make except for something like, “your customers want to see B&Bs, so don’t hide us.” Steve LaFond is correct – B&Bs are now harder to find in the Availability Search tool. That’s not good, and I will emphasize this with TA.

Kaufer did state publicly that properties that purchase or don’t purchase business listings will not get any special treatment either way (i.e. their Popularity Index will not be impacted). Of course we’ll keep an eye on this. I asked them from the beginning to make the listings free, but they’re a for-profit company that has “locked in” thousands of properties into their reviews, so it makes economic sense to make money off properties they weren’t making money off. That’s just cold economics.

I don’t know what to tell folks, except to analyze if the extra $300 or $500 in 2010 (if they sign up next month) is going to benefit their business or not. In general, I think it will. I think it’s better to try and retain the visitor that’s checking out the reviews by providing an easy link and contact info to the B&B’s web page, than hope they open a new browser tab to search for that B&B. I don’t like the price tag at all, and I’m currently still speaking with them about ways to keep the price tag low even after the promotion is over. We’ll see.

And to Phil’s comments above, innkeepers continue to deal with similar frustrations with the response and care taken with fake, fraudulent or other belligerent reviews that make it past TA’s fraud protectors. His dealings are a good example of what a lot of innkeepers still deal with, and I keep pressing and pressing for change. I hear anecdotally things have generally gotten a little better with regard to response time and getting management responses up that previously might not have made the cut, but that’s no consolation to those who still find themselves helpless when appealing to TA for help.

The development of Business Listings is both good and bad – but bad only because it come with a higher-than-expected price tag. I don’t think it’s helpful to be a “conscientious objector” and refuse to pay, because you don’t like TA or their policies. Sure, there will be folks who refuse to pay it, but I think there will be plenty who will give it a shot. It’s not as though they’re removing your listing if you don’t pay. A B&B’s page on TA will still be very valuable – business listing or not – as long as TA continues to get the traffic they do.

We’ll continue to work on getting change to the more unsavory aspects of the site. As I see it, as much as I don’t like the price tag a small B&B will have to pay if they want the link, the seven-figures I think they’ll now earn from the B&B industry will only help our cause to treat B&Bs more like they treat vacation rental properties.

As you know, Expedia, hotels.com and TripAdvisor go where the money is, and they don’t believe the money is in B&Bs…. except for in some new Business Listings, that is.

One constant fault with TripAdvisor is thier obstinate refusal to reply to genuine queries and concerns with anything other than a standard automated email. You can see my personal experience here: http://visitnormandy.wordpress.com/trip-advisor-fake-reviews/

Further, I know they have staffing issues, but it’s no excuse for a cavalier attitude to the content of reviews, as here:

http://visitnormandy.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/trip-advisor-review-policy/

It shows a lack of respect for owners and ordinary people seeking genuine advice. Their “Get the truth then go” line is having a laugh!

Still, I see that your website has a TripAdvisor widget on it, displaying TripAdvisor reviews. I think that is a smart move, giving your property more credibility from the review side of TripAdvisor.

Let’s keep a close eye on how the nonparticipants in Business Listings get treated. Your concerns are well-founded, methinks.

How can it be regarded as unbiased when paid listings have a clear advantage over non-paid? Its hotel listings are aleady dodgy because of the “more-profit-at-all-costs” policy it has adopted of late – witness how it has dropped those chains who don’t cough up their extortionate fees.

Expect non-paying B&Bs/inns go be further demoted in the listings in the future.

Give the listings away for free, make your money elsewhere.

TripAdvisor should be thinking more about the consumer than their bottom line from this tactic. Consumer wants the contact info, so give it to them.

Look at the rate they are dinging hotels with – many individual hotels will need to fork over thousands – at the bargain basement introductory rate…. come on, give these small business guys a break TripAdvisor.