I see a lot of posts in Facebook travel groups looking for recommendations for their next vacation.
The posts usually include very little information about the person seeking the recommendations. Most don’t include where they’ve been before, their budget, how they like to travel or what their interests are. The threads are entertaining, as people chime in with their favorite destinations, hotels, and tips.
But these recommendations have one big flaw.
The people responding know very little about the person they are responding to.
For example, I saw a post from a solo female traveler asking for tips about navigating a foreign city alone because she was nervous about it. A slew of responses told her it was fine to go it alone, that they had done it and were fine. But the responders didn’t know if this young woman was an experienced traveler, and maybe that wasn’t good advice for her.
Another asked for recommendations for a hotel in Thailand, with no mention of her budget, her standards, or even what part of Thailand she was visiting.
Yet another asked for a villa rental in Cabo, with very few details about the requirements.
When you post vague requests for recommendations on Facebook, you may get a few good ideas.
But what you’re really doing is giving the responders a chance to tell you where they’ve been and what they like. Unless these people know you personally, or happen to be a lot like you, the recommendations will most likely miss the mark.
It’s the same with online reviews. One person’s luxury hotel is another person’s mediocre stay. Unless I know your standards, I can’t really recommend something that you’ll like. And don’t get me started on restaurant reviews.
One person’s Michelin-star restaurant experience is another person’s evening from hell.
That’s why I have a Discovery Call with every one of my clients before I make a single recommendation about their trip.