TripAdvisor is leveraging the power of its network of travelers… some 25 Million Monthly users in order to pull cash from the wallets of business listing members. New enhanced business listings will include links to your Website, email address and phone number.

What’s the cost of Trip Advisor Enhanced Business Listings?

The cash grab, including the 50% off special LOW RATE for hotels with less than 10 rooms is a whopping $300. Larger hotels will be paying THOUSANDS of dollars. If your hotel has over 100 rooms get ready to shell out over $3000 (if you get in early!), that’s $6000 if you wait until after january, 2010.

For most smaller tour operators, bed and breakfasts, inns and hotels posting a link to your Web site and email and including your phone number in your TripAdvisor listing is a decision that will weigh heavily.

Can operators afford not to have the full listing of what has become the Yellow Pages of the Internet for bed and breakfasts, hotels and inns especially?

For those who track their inquiries and sales with religious ferver, the amount may easily be offset by new revenue from direct bookings. If you’ve never tracked business from

TripAdvisor, it might be best to take a pass on this offer.

Best to Wait it out?

My advise is that tourism businesses need to wait a while to see if the value will be realized. TripAdvisor is sure to be gauging the response of operators to the pricing of this “value-added” service?? to its business members. If we all ignore the emails being sent out, perhaps TripAdvisor will be a little more small business friendly in the pricing of these enhanced listings. It’s worth hoping for isn’t it?