TripAdvisor links with Toptable as internet bookings rise
Travel community website TripAdvisor.com has announced the launch of its improved restaurant product, which in March will provide detailed maps, reviews and an online booking system through Toptable.co.uk.
While continuing to operate as a means for travellers to post and read reviews of hotels, flights and holiday destinations, TripAdvisor’s new and improved restaurant section will next month also allow users to investigate and book a table at one of 500,000 restaurants around the world.
Ros Choate of Toptable.com told BigHospitality that restaurants featured on their site invariably saw an increase in bookings, and advised those not already involved to get in touch.
“Online bookings are becoming a more regular thing for diners to do as people look for deals more often,” she said. “Any restaurant on our site is going to be viewed by a large portion of people who are looking to spend their money more sensibly.
“We have just made a record of 13,000 UK bookings in one day, which shows restaurants are definitely getting more covers. It can therefore only be a sensible option for restaurateurs to get themselves up on the site and use Toptable and TripAdvisor as an additional marketing tool.”
Users are right now able to search for a restaurant or location and filter results by price, cuisine, or occasion, before finding detailed maps and directions to their chosen dining spot. They can even download the TripAdvisor’s Local Picks application to their iPhone, which sorts the best restaurants, as rated by locals, for the user’s current location.
Internet reservation tool FastBooking has also this week reported a surge in online bookings, as those made through hotel websites has increased by 40 per cent in the last year.
