A recent study from the UCLA Anderson School of Management found that the growth of online reviews and ratings is benefiting hotel revenues, particularly for independent hotels. The report’s author, Dr. Brett Hollenbeck, looked at revenues over 15 years and analyzed aspects of about 1.5 million reviews. He found that 10 reviews on average can boost an independent hotel’s revenue 1.7 percent, versus 0.7 percent for brand hotels. However, the effect didn’t apply to luxury brands with loyalty and points programs. Read more about the research here.
