USTOA to add tour operator reviews to website

CHICAGO — The U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA) will begin hosting tour operator reviews on its website during the first quarter of 2016, USTOA President Terry Dale announced at the organization's annual conference here.

Currently, there is no comprehensive online destination for tour reviews. TripAdvisor, for instance, does not have a tours or packages category, and tour operators have been left with a patchwork of consumer review resources, such as online chat forums and social media feeds. A predominant source for tour reviews has by default become those posted on operators' own websites, which for obvious reasons can stir doubts.

"It's true there isn't a neutral third-party forum for online reviews of tours, and this gap in the consumer feedback toolbox has emerged onto USTOA's radar ... exploring this is definitely something that is a priority for our members," Dale told Travel Weekly last fall. 

Consequently, USTOA, which represents more than 50 tour companies and upwards of 160 tour brands, will introduce a consumer review element via its own website. Initially, the USTOA reviews will feature those that tour operators already have on their websites. Additionally, tour operators will be able to reach out to their customers following trips and provide instructions about how to submit a review that would then be submitted to USTOA.

Customers will not be able to submit reviews directly through USTOA's site at first, but Dale said that he is hoping that the website will eventually allow for consumers to post reviews directly on it.

The reviews will consist of a five-star rating system and will also allow for a short descriptions of customers' experiences with any given tour operator.

Said Dale, "This is the first step in getting [consumers] engaged in this process."