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Does the Travel Industry Take "ReviewerCards" Seriously?

Today we received an Tnooz.com article about the "ReviewerCard" , created by an entrepreneur named Brad Newman who aims to appeal to those fond of analyzing restaurants, hotels and the like. Apparently this black card, when shown at your venue, is supposed to intimate to your host that you'll be checking them out pretty carefully and hope to receive "premium service".

We've discussed before when businesses try to solicit positive feedback on sites such as TripAdvisor, by offering complimentary stays or other discounts, and yet this particular card, has been called, as we've seen "The DoucheCard". So, what's the difference between being a card-carrying member stating upfront they're willing to provide good reviews for good service and being asked to do so from the business itself?

The story stirred up controversy, and Carla Caccavale, a hotel PR executive and brand strategist for TrustYou, mentioned in the story, broke it down. "These card holders threaten the truth and transparency of the online review world as a whole. It takes what used to be valuable feedback and makes it worthless. It enables businesses to purchase praise."

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