Tag Archives: Med Holidays

New TripAdvisor complaint threatens review syndication

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New TripAdvisor complaint threatens review syndication

Travel giant TripAdvisor is facing a second and potentially more serious complaint to theAdvertising Standards Authority that threatens to outlaw all third parties using its reviews to market their products.

Travolution can reveal online reputation management crusader Kwikchex has sparked a second probe by the UK advertising watchdog following a first highly publicised complaint.

The first complaint questioned the veracity of TripAdvisor’s reviews but the second claims existing advertising rules mean no reviews can be used to market product if the author’s identity cannot be verified.

An increasing number of hotel, travel agency and tour operator websites pull in TripAdvisor content, or link to it to help promote their product and improve their search engine ranking.

The Kwikchex case cites rules in the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) non-broadcast code that states marketers must be able to show a review’s authenticity by proving it was made by an identifiable and potentially contactable person.

An ASA spokesman could not confirm the second complaint had been lodged, although this is understood to have been purely a procedural issue, a detailed submission having been sent on November 2 but not yet logged.

Kwikchex co-founder Chris Emmins said: “This is potentially much bigger than our first complaint. It’s absolutely apparent that reviews are not being verified and that they are being used for promotional purposes. We think that verifying testimonials is key to fulfilling the requirements of the CAP code.”

An extract from the code on testimonials and endorsements states: “Marketers must hold documentary evidence that a testimonial or endorsement used in a marketing communication is genuine, unless it is obviously fictitious, and hold contact details for the person who, or organisation that, gives it.”

The code does allow testimonials to be used by third parties from a “published source” without permission of the author, however this places the onus back on the originator of the review to authenticate it and Kwikchex believes TripAdvisor’s current procedures fail to do this.

In the submission Kwikchex makes reference to a number of cases in which it believes the CAP code is being breached. These include use of TripAdvisor content on hotel website Accor, Thomson’s tour operator site and tourism body VisitLondon.

Separately to the challenges to TripAdvisor, the UK government is working with a number of companies on a charter for online reviews to promote best practice led by Ed Davey MP, minister for consumer affairs for the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation.

Andrew Mabbutt, managing director of Feefo, an online review service and one of the firms working with the government on the charter, said:

“The ASA’s view on use of reviews that can’t be authenticated will be awaited with particular interest in the travel sector where TripAdvisor reviews are widely used for marketing purposes.

“We feel it is vitally important that any reviews used are at the very least checkable in terms of the person who posted them and if they are not then they either be flagged up as such or not made public until they are.

“This issue is becoming more and more high profile and it is important companies, review sites and regulators alike get to grips with it before there is widespread loss of public confidence in what can, and should be, a powerful marketing tool.”

Tripadvisor said it could not comment on the second Kwikchex complaint as the ASA had not confirmed it was investigating it.

The ASA confirmed to Travolution that the investigation into the first complaint was nearing a close although the recommendations had not yet been put to council and it could be a few weeks before any decision is made public.

One in three Brits did not holiday in 2011

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WTM: One in three Brits did not holiday in 2011, study finds

Nov 07, 2011 14:46PM GMT

WTM: One in three Brits did not holiday in 2011, study finds

Holidays are now seen as a discretionary spend rather than a necessity, according to the World Travel Market 2011 Industry Report (pdf).

The report, which  polled more than 1,000 UK holidaymakers, showed that over a third (38%) did not have a holiday this year. A holiday was counted as seven nights in the UK or overseas.

In order to find 1,000 holidaymakers who had been on holiday, the report actually had to survey 1,611 consumers. Of those that did holiday in 2011, almost six out of ten (59%) only took one.

The low figure was blamed on the impact of the recession on household budgets, and the increase in Air Passenger Duty.

More than a quarter, 26%, said the increase in costs of travelling due to taxes was a major issue. Just over a third, 31%, said they will travel less often. For 5%, 2011 was the first year they did not travel abroad because of the increase in the cost of holidaying due to taxes.

WTM chairman Fiona Jeffery admitted the findings that consumers no longer viewed holidays as “sacrosanct” was a concern.

“For the first time the report indicates people are beginning to cut back on having a holiday and that is a concerning sign,” she said.

But the report highlighted opportunities for the industry, such as the London 2012 Olympics and potential of the emerging BRIC nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The report, which also polled the views of more than 1,000 senior industry executives and WTM exhibitors, showed more than eight in ten executives believed major sporting events would have a positive impact to London and the UK.

However, UK hoilaymakers remained uninterested in the games with only 8% saying they would incorporate the London Olympics into their holiday.

Shed the pounds on a Dukan diet cruise!

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Shed the pounds on a Dukan diet cruise!

MSC Cruises is launching a unique “diet themed cruise” in January next year with one of the most famous nutritionists in the world, French diet specialist Dr Pierre Dukan.

The cruise promises to give guests the chance to lose weight, tone up and tan during a mid-winter holiday in the Med.

Losing weight naturally is key to the internationally famous Dukan Diet Method, so it’s not surprising that the 11-night cruise created especially for French speaking guests aboard the flagship MSC Fantasia is all about having fun, enjoying great food and being exposed to the ship’s extensive state-of-the-art physical fitness facilities.

Even the shore excursions and walking tours of the famous cities where MSC Fantasia calls during the cruise will form an integral part of the scientifically structured diet programme.

And the highlight of the cruise will be the chance to meet Dr Pierre Dukan himself at a private onboard party. A nutritionist and specialist in food behavior for over 30 years, his 19 books including the French best seller “I don’t know how to lose weight” (The Dukan Diet book) have sold 2.5 million copies and brought him over 20 million followers worldwide.A team of expert nutritionists, dieticians and a specialist physician trained in the Dukan Method will be onboard to give professional advice and care throughout the cruise which departs Genoa, Italy, on 30 January and returns on 10 February.

Guests will receive a Diet Kit and undergo a personal health assessment at the start of the cruise before being advised on individual diet and sports training programmes. They will also be invited to daily workshops on procedures and technical aspects of losing weight, culinary demonstrations, cooking lessons and themed conferences.

Dr. Dukan says he has strived to develop a method that allows him to have fun while dieting because he himself has always fought against being overweight.

“This method works because you can eat as much as you like from a list of 100 different foods as long as you follow the mentoring and monitoring of my team of experts,” says Dukan.

The partnership with Dr Pierre Dukan illustrates the company’s commitment to continually find new theme cruise options that meet the expectations of passengers.

“Mealtimes are one of the most luxurious features of cruise holidays. It is a time to relax and effortlessly enjoy an array of the finest gourmet gastronomy the world has to offer and Dr Dukan will be able to illustrate how our superb menus can be incorporated as part of a healthy and balanced diet programme,” said Erminio Eschena, General Director of MSC Cruises France, Belgium and Luxembourg.

MSC Fantasia’s superb onboard physical fitness facilities also present a fun accompaniment for ensuring weight loss: they include the gym, sauna, steam room, jogging track outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, squash court and even other activities like disco dancing.

During ports of call losing weight continues to be pure pleasure when exploring the cultural and artistic highlights of Barcelona, the ancient folk traditions of charming Malaga and the magnificent gardens and museums of Funchal in Madeira. Guests will also be delighted by the sacred mosques and traditional markets of Casablanca in Morocco, the gorgeous island seascapes of S. Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands and the historic landmarks that make Rome such a world famous destination.

 Have you tried the Dukan diet? Would you be interested in a Dukan cruise with MSC, if they launched one for English speaking guests?