Globally 84% of travellers read online reviews before choosing where to stay when they travel, according to Agoda’s Usage & Attitude Study 2019. The online travel agency, which has more than 34 million verified peer-to-peer reviews of hotels and Agoda Homes properties on its digital travel platform, revealed the harshest and most favourable reviewers by market.

Overall, travellers from China, Mexico, Hungary and Taiwan are more likely to give a high rating scores of between 8-10, and positive feedback on properties they stayed at according to review data compiled by Agoda. In fact its data shows 77.1% of travellers from China gave their trips a high rating score (8-10), followed by Mexico (76.5%), Hungary and Taiwan (75.9%).

On the other hand, travellers from India, Turkey and Saudi Arabia ranked as the top three markets that provided most low ratings of between 1-3 in their reviews, and while these markets seem the most critical, there were also still 66.2% of Turkish travellers, 63.2% of Indian travellers and 61% of Saudi Arabian travellers who gave rating scores of 8-10 for their travel experience.

“Reviews are akin to personal recommendations by like-minded peers, and they influence customers’ decisions when they choose their accommodation. The 34 million verified reviews on Agoda provide an important resource to help travellers make the right choice, for their travel needs,” said Errol Cooke, vice president of global partner services at Agoda.