In Brief: A new study by Deepak Sirwani, Shrishti Kumar, and Manoj Thomas examines how the format of hotel ratings—stars versus numerical scores—affects travelers’ booking choices, highlighting implications for hotel marketing and online distribution channels.
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Stars or Numbers? How Rating Formats Influence Travelers’ Decisions – Image Credit Unsplash+
Abstract
Consumers interpret fractional ratings very differently depending on whether they are shown as stars or numbers. Fractional star ratings feel higher than they objectively are, while fractional numerical ratings feel lower. This gap—rooted in how the brain processes images versus digits—can meaningfully change how guests perceive hotels, restaurants, tours, and other hospitality experiences. Stars systematically inflate perceived quality, while numbers deflate it. For service businesses that rely heavily on ratings to drive bookings, this means rating format alone can unintentionally boost or suppress demand.
Click here to download the complete article from the Cornell Center For Hospitality Research.