Travel industry players including Tripadvisor, Expedia Group, Booking.com and Eu Travel Tech, the body representing EU travel technology companies, have officially endorsed the Code of Conduct for Online Ratings and Reviews for Tourism Accommodation. Earlier this month, the European Commission also endorsed the code of conduct.
The new code of conduct is directed at improved transparency and online review reliability for consumers and travel businesses. The code was initiated by the EU and then created in collaboration with travel stakeholders, according to the EU, which said accommodation providers and platforms played a large role.
“This code of conduct, drafted collaboratively through extensive discussions with accommodation providers’ and consumers’ organizations and the European Commission, will promote the trustworthiness of review systems, for the benefit of all stakeholders,” said Emmanuel Mounier, secretary general of Eu Travel Tech.
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The news comes on the heels of Tripadvisor’s removal of 2.7 million fraudulent reviews in 2024, following its removal of 2 million in 2023 and 1.2 million in 2022.
Brad Young, general counsel for Tripadvisor, said the company was thrilled to partner with Eu Travel Tech, the European Commission, HOTREC (the umbrella association representing the hospitality sector in Europe) and other industry partners on the endorsement.
“The integrity of reviews on our platforms is crucial to maintaining the trust of our users, and this code will help support our fight against fake reviews and review brokers operating across the internet.”
Maria Rocha Barros, SVP and chief legal and public affairs officer at Booking.com, said her team was proud to endorse the code.
“We know that authentic guest reviews build trust, empower consumers and bring transparency to the travel ecosystem,” she said. “Many of the practices now enshrined in the EU’s Code of Conduct have long been part of our own approach. Promoting transparency and tackling fake reviews is in everyone’s interest.”