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The UK hotel and B&B industry is now one of the best-rated in the world having previously lagged behind other major international rivals.
A new study from reviews website TripAdvisor, which analysed millions of traveller ratings given to hotel and B&B properties over the last 10 years in 15 major tourism markets around the world.
It found that in 2015 UK hotels and B&Bs enjoyed an average review rating of 4.16 out of five, placing them second out of the 15 major tourism markets analysed and above the overall global average score of 4.12.
Only Italian accommodations scored higher throughout the year, with an average score of 4.2.
The UK hospitality industry’s strong performance last year was the culmination of a decade-long improvement in average review ratings given to UK properties on TripAdvisor, outpacing other rival tourism markets around the globe.
In 2005, the average review rating for UK accommodations was just 3.57 – the lowest of the 15 markets analysed.
However, in the 10 years that followed, the UK’s average rating rose above other competitor markets including Spain, France, United States and Thailand.
The study also found that smaller, independent accommodation businesses in the UK were providing the biggest boost to the UK’s overall average rating – with B&Bs scoring an average review rating of 4.48, compared with 4.04 for hotels in 2015.
Meanwhile, smaller properties in the hotel sector had better ratings compared with their larger counterparts. UK hotels with less than 25 rooms scored an average of 4.40 in 2015 compared to those with 26 to 100 rooms, where the average was 3.97.
Commenting on the report, Ufi Ibrahim, CEO of the British Hospitality Association (BHA), said: “We are very proud to see the results of the TripAdvisor study and proud too of the standards of service our industry delivers so consistently.
“UK Hotels and B&Bs can take great satisfaction from seeing their efforts reflected in this report. Our members welcome visitors from both here in the UK and from across the world and all seek to offer great service and enjoyable guest experiences.”
