Impact of the rating system on sentiment and tone of voice: A Booking.com and TripAdvisor comparison study

Online reviews have bridged the gap between traditional word-of-mouth and viral communication, influencing peer's decision processes. Analyzing tourists' online reviews helps hotels address overall customer (dis)satisfaction. Using sentiment analysis to understand reviewers' satisfaction and analyze the voice tone and expressed feelings, this research attempts to enlarge hotel, platform, and tourist trilogy's knowledge. A total of 38,292 reviews posted on Booking.com and TripAdvisor from 191 hotels were analyzed. Results indicated that the rating system influenced reviewer's sentiment, even though sentiment did not increase alongside the hotel category, leading to using a sterner tone of voice. Differences were acknowledged according to reviewers' nationality. The most positive feelings were expressed on TripAdvisor linked to staff-tourist encounters whereas Booking.com presented more negative feelings, especially linked to overcharging and billing issues. These outcomes can guide managers in establishing priorities to improve service and meet customers' expectations. [Display omitted] •Nearly 40.000 Booking.com and TripAdvisor reviews were analyzed using sentiment analysis to understand reviewers’ satisfaction and feelings.•The hotel category influenced the reviewer’s sentiment, even if it did not increase with the hotel category, shown in a sterner tone of voice.•Most positive feelings were expressed on TripAdvisor linked to staff-tourist encounters, varying with reviewers’ nationality.•The negative feelings expressed on Booking.com mainly were related to money issues.•The results help enhance services, meet customers’ expectations, and restore confidence in Online Travel Platforms (OTP) scoring system.