really, you sound very ignorant. People are not going by the number alone, if you actually take the time to learn how to use tripadvisor, you can see that people are explaining in detail what kind of person they are & how their experience turned out. The photos & side information of the area is also what people are there for!

>>really, you sound very ignorant. <<

My goodness (!) You register and your very first/only post is to call Fodorites ignorant . . . Maybe you'd be happier sticking to TA :?

No stay here its fun...

And you are right

I'm thinking the "ignorant" comment may refer to something in the post directly above that was removed?

>>I'm thinking the "ignorant" comment may refer to something in the post directly above that was removed?<<

Maybe so -- but I <i>think</i> that post was removed a coupe of weeks ago. I assumed the 'ignorant' comment was re the OP and some of the responses. But maybe sunsworn will return and clarify.

I stumbled on this forum looking for something similar to TA.
I post mainly on 2 destination forums, but would only consider myself a regular....just. I am mature age, being over 60 travelled extensively.

I guess what gets to me is how judgemental some of the DE are....only some, but they still spoil it for others..comments like it's a zoo, tourist trap, they wouldn't take a free room there. Sometimes these comments are made with no experience as to what the topic/discussion might be.
Often their opinions are given as being factual, but essentially based on nostalgia & "how it used to be"........like 40 years ago!

On TA I would like people to qualify when they last stayed in a hotel or ate at a restaurant etc......places can & do change over time & I believe it would be more helpful & honest if they were upfront & just said we were last there 6 years ago.

Another bugbear are those people who post simply for posting sake with nothing valuable or constructive to say, simply to increase their points. Some are just full of their perceived self importance, especially with degustation menus & wine pairing. It always bothers me why people have to continually mention this as though they are so special.

OK rant over, generally I enjoy the destination forums, lots to be learnt from them, just had to get this off my chest.....

Plus people with 2 accounts reviewing places or commenting on threads...they are easy to pick & also when they give each other helpful votes

There is no reason to increase your points, they have NO value at all, i dont think anyone pays attention to them.

Wholeheartedly agree with you regarding the points, they are pointless.

<simply to increase their points>

I don't post to increase my points, never even paid attention to that, but I do have a ridiculous number of posts on TA (that count shows right next to your screen name) since I've been active pretty much daily there for over a decade and on five different forums.

The Trip Advisor website is a joke, and the TA forum is an even bigger joke, and it is full of old fashioned people who run it, and those so called destination experts are a joke, why have these titles when many of them have no idea what they are talking about anyway, even i know a lot more than most of the do but i don't need to have that badge to help people.

There is also a lot of politics and clicks going on between many destination experts, and many do not like new members coming along and intruding on their territory.

I tried to make some suggestions on how they can make it better, but i was told to get lost and not stir the pot, so i gave up, and i am looking for a new travel forum to call home.

Cheers

I agree with Suze as well. The Destination Forums section is very helpful. I wouldn't use them for hotel reviews, however. I stick with Booking for that one.

Palawan, welcome to Fodors.
On which forum were you on TA ? You'll find some oltimers from TA here.

I personally go according to tripadvisor .So that my trip is well set . It is really helpfull for guiding various perspectives of travelling .
Thank You

<and the TA forum is an even bigger joke>

There are hundreds of different Destination Forums on Trip Advisor, not only one "forum". Who told you to "get lost"?

Personally have never been told to get lost as mentioned above, but I have lost faith in the destination forums, a couple in particular & have been told from several reliable sources in the hospitality industry that some DE ( especially those using real names & photos as avatars) receive certain perks for promoting hotels & restaurants.

Other DE continually discount certain areas to stay saying they are too isolated or whatever, even when regular posters have stayed there numerous times & have not found that to be the case. These regular posters are often denigrated by the so called experts, but never ever criticize their own.
No wonder some new posters never return.

Other experts berate the use of Uber, or choosing to book tours rather than using public transport. Not everyone wants to rent a car & drive on vacation.

Some also criticize reviews, saying they mean nothing & companies, tours, hotels, restaurants solicit positive reviews. If that is the case why is their promotion of the same activities of their choosing to be promoted for being worthy of recommendation. Why do they sometimes think they are so much wiser than other well traveled souls.
Some also seem to have little experience or knowledge outside their own particular area of so called expertise & sometimes a case of DYKWIA.

I don't use the TA forums, prefer Fodors. However, I do use the reviews, which I find (given you treat them with care) more useful than booking.com, which tends to hide bad reviews. I just posted a two star review of a hotel on booking.com, and while the similar review on TA will show up at the top of the list, on booking.com I had a hard time finding it.

I found out the gym I workout at daily in Puerto Vallarta was closed. Turns out they were only putting in a new floor and will be open again soon. I could *never* have gotten that kind of information in a million years here on Fodor's. On TA stuff like that, trade of really up-to-date information, happens every day.

I have received some wonderful recommendations on the Trip Advisor forums. Is that laughable?

hdsonguz.. no its not.. ta is a useful tool for many of us.. not all only tool, but one in a good arsenal .

My reviews on booking show without any problem.
I deleted my 500 reviews of n TA which helped getting myself banned.
TA is just too commercial. So take it with a prince of salt - as Justine says it is a tool. Among others.

TA isn't "commercial" in the way I use it. I post on the forums there in the same way I do here. I never purchase anything from them.

I gave TA a break for a while as I was over some of the DE.
Came back to check a few forums & its the same old thing.
Yes TA can be useful tool, but some of the so called DE's think they are gods & there word is law.
Woe betide anyone who may have a different opinion to them or if you are relatively new to any of the forums. Some of their responses would stop you in your tracks.
They are critical of others but never themselves or other DE.
They tend to be cliquey & will vote off others posts but never from their own DE. DE feel they have fantastic ideas but new posters never do.
I often have wondered how recent their experiences are & how they find the time to post almost continually when they are working folk.
And the ones who use their real name & photos???? f not for self gain or gratification.

Marlbourgh .. you just got a cliquey forum.. they aren't all like that.. and if a post hasn't broken guidelines you can ask to have it reinstated.. because yes.. they do delete some just to b a holes..

I find the Hawaii forum there to be very cliquey.. but others not so bad.. but really,, just ignore some of the posters.. there really is good info at your finger tips.

As for what DEs get..its all for their own self gratification.. they aren't paid.. Some do it because it makes them feel good to help others.. and some do it because it makes them feel good to think they are an expert.

I personally trust the opinion of some of the regular posters far above DEs on my favorite forums as I know they are more inline with my way of seeing things.. ( one of our DEs is so boring.. if she advises something, I know it will not interest me.. and yes, I have met her in person) ..

Many people have been asked to be DEs and wisely declined.. the "honor".. you get a lot of pms nagging for personal advice on what to do and see ( even I do as a regular. total strangers who will literally ask me to do their entire itinerary ) and you are held to a higher standard.. if you answer evem a little bit off ( say trains have changed in last week ) and you give wrong answer you are crucified sometimes.. lol

Hey Justine did you know I was asked to become DE on TA?
About 2-3 weeks after I joined !
They didn't know me, they just needed a DE that spoke french.
Total disaster.

<<And the ones who use their real name & photos???? f not for self gain or gratification.>>

You would rather they use fake names and fake photos?

Woinparis, I didn't know that, but even without that silly "designation " you helped many many travellers. More than many of the DEs could.

Correct DE are not paid, but I am aware (from people in the hospitality trade) of one DE who gets "kicks backs" from establishments for recommendations etc.
The same applies to another prolific poster (not a DE) Both display their real name & their photo. Perhaps there is some reason for doing this, besides being a case of DYKWIA.
While some posters do use a photo of the self as their avatar, not too many use their selfie & their real name.

I agree sometimes I have more faith in some of the posters that post less, than others who reply simply for the sake of replying.

And yes Justine you are also correct with certain forums being cliquey......very sad for new people to the forums.

Some people use a selfie and their real name just because they have no imagination of what could go wrong on the interwebs. What does DYKWIA stand for? Usually I can figure it out, but not this time.

Cliques happen on any forum, so I don't think you need to feel sorry for newbies on that account. Longstanding enemies are more of a problem- there are people who snipe just because they see a particular name. I feel the most sorry for first timers that post here and get hammered simply for having different preferences in terms of budget or taste. Heaven forbid you want to be an actual tourist and do tourist stuff.

DYKWIA - Do you <i>know</i> who I am ?! (in a very 'important voice') ;)

My comment did not post...has anyone else been getting blank screen of doom lately?

Anyway...ahaha, janisj, love the emphasis, it definitely brings across the full...essence...of such personalities. I'm trying to picture being receptionist somewhere and having a customer use their TripAdvisor status to impress me. I'm sure it happens- it's so absurd, though. My friends make fun of me for even knowing what the forums are!!

<Usually I can figure it out, but not this time.>

When that happens, just put he letters into a Google search and it tells you the meaning.

DYKWIA - Do you know who I am ?! (in a very 'important voice')

I thought - Dick, wounded in action.
Better than KIA...

'My friends make fun of me for even knowing what the forums are!!'

Mywife does too.

Let's not forget that in 2014 Trip was fined $600,000 for posting fake reviews.

Yelp's policies actually forbid soliciting for reviews, whereas Trip I believe does not, so it's more likely that true customers will have converted from the review request to actual review on Trip. The reviews on Trip probably have a tendency to be inflated due to businesses soliciting for reviews from customers they know had positive experiences.

Anyhow. I followed Trip from it's inception. Trip used to be the go to place but then their management changed their screening process for reviews. They are limiting and even censoring critical reviews. Should you have anything negative to say about hotel management or their staff, there is a good chance that your review will not be published if the review is with one of TA’s paid advertisers. Trip even provided some unbelievable statistics from a company they commissioned to say that over 98% of TA reviewers felt that the reviews posted online were accurate or felt it reflected their own experience.

Writing bogus positive reviews is a big business now and quite trendy. Yelp used to be notorious for this but they seemed to have cleaned up their act. People want to have the reassurance that the decision they made to spend their hard earned money was the right one.

Should they see mostly positive reviews after a less than stellar experience, they might be intimidated to write a negative one, especially how the establishment’s management responds to negative comments/reviews on TA. The merchant always has the last rebuttal where it should be the customer. Bottom line, most honest reviews are not published. Many are from property owners and/or their staff.


Remember, no business is perfect and should anyone have nothing but high praises for a business then it's basic logic to dismiss the review and often the reviewer.

I am not trying to pose as a core defender of TA. Sometime I find they are too quick to edit what doesn't suit an exclusively Pollyanna rose glassed vision of discussion. Not that poor manners on anyone's part is excusable.

I would point out by way of clarification that their "rating" systems are not essentially based on MERIT but rather POPULARITY. This means a local McDonalds can be rated higher than a fine dining establishment, especially, for example, if the latter has 26 reviews and the former 226.

Additionally everyone is entitled to an opinion. Those either here or there who tend to stereotype visitors and their values/comments are as guilty of transgression (even often more so) or insensitivity as those judged, especially if the original writer wasn't rude or disrespectful.

One forum is not inherently superior to another. There are clear major advantages TA has over every other travel format in the universe. This comes with being the biggest, most varied, best funded and most utilized. These are simple facts based on numbers, not opinion.

Fodor's has its own level of prestige, based on a long history of quality associated with the name in terms of various aspects related to travel.

It seems that on all forums, there will always be a number of people hiding in the shadows who are here trying to feel superior, to denigrate basically decent others, rather than respect their effort or energy, however insightful, accurate or not.

If you fit the bill even a little, try a chill pill.

There are a LOT more people on Trip Advisor than there are on Fodor's.

This is a three year old thread that just won't die. Has been topped by several one time wonders and a quite a few advertisers.

Not sure why/how newbies find it so often . . .

probably with a search for "Trip Advisor"

I don't want to interrupt your opinion about TripAdvisor but I think you are just misleading the thought that maybe they did a survey perhaps. Each one of us has its own likes and dislikes and a unique taste buds when it comes to foods or desserts but we need to respect it. I don't want to defend TA but they have their own strategy to persuade the people or their viewers to choose their own picks of best restaurant or places all around the world. Its a matter of different points of view so we doesn't have anything to do with it. We just need to respect it.

The amount of fake reviews is overwhelming. I did not realise until an operator in Zambia, Mophy budget safari, fraudulently took our deposit and did not honour the agreement between us. When I wrote the true story TripAdvisor removed my posts because these are against TA guidelines!

But when same operator posts self glorification reviews using fake accounts, then that is according to their guidelines. Everything is just a setup, otherwise they have to permit certain critique no matter how bad. This action by TA is indirectly helping fraudulent operators like this Mophy budget safari continue with their disgusting business