The UK is no longer a nation prone to complaining, at least when it comes to travel, data revealed today by TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site, would suggest.

The British are among the five most positive nations when it comes to posting reviews of accommodation properties worldwide on TripAdvisor, with an average score of 4.1 out of five - higher than almost every other European nation.

The data debunks well-worn national stereotypes, which have for decades portrayed Brits as more downbeat when compared to their European and American cousins.

South Africa tops the list of countries producing the most positive reviews, with an average score of 4.22 out of five posted by reviewers there, compared with just 3.8 for the least positive nation of reviewers – Malaysia.

TripAdvisor also revealed the nationalities providing the most amount of detail in their reviews on accommodations, with Brits second only to Canadians. UK TripAdvisor reviewers post an average of 177 words per review, topped only by Canadians (191 words per review), with Brazilians providing the least amount of feedback on their experiences with a still respectable 88 words per review.

Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson, said: “When TripAdvisor was founded, the idea of ‘the wisdom of the crowd’ was still relatively unheard of and there was a fear that people would only want to share their travel horror stories. In fact, our experience over the last twelve years has shown the opposite to be true – people do genuinely want to share their good experiences with the world first and foremost.”

It’s also important to note that – according to Forrester research* – the number one reason travellers cite for writing a hotel review is to “share a good experience with other travellers.”

Simon Fried, consumer behavioural psychologist, explains why the majority of consumers are prepared to share their positive experience with others:
“At first it may seem surprising that so many people selflessly contribute for the sake of the common good, but the underlying psychological urges are very strong. In the offline world when we receive a gift or someone does us a favour we are naturally compelled to give back. Now the internet has empowered us to carry this behaviour into the online world,” 

“Secondly, most of us have an image of ourselves as the sort of person that does the right thing. In order to maintain this image we prove it to ourselves by doing a good deed, such as recommending to others something we have enjoyed ourselves.  Both the need to give back and to maintain a consistent self-image are deep-seated urges.”