VisitEngland has teamed up with TripAdvisor in a deal that sees the tourism body’s official star ratings now displayed on the TripAdvisor pages of participating accommodation providers.

Hotels, B&Bs and other such lodgings across England will be able to demonstrate the quality of their service through the scheme, with VisitEngland joining organisations such as the AA as providers of official star ratings for TripAdvisor. This partnership forms part of VisitEngland’s strategy to help tourism businesses engage with digital platforms.

“Our star ratings appearing on TripAdvisor is a fantastic benefit to VisitEngland’s scheme, demonstrating the importance of star ratings in helping potential customers to choose their accommodation with confidence,” said VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford.

“It is also an opportunity for our official star-rated accommodation providers to raise their profile even further by having their stars displayed on one of the world’s leading travel websites. This is one of a number of new developments we are putting in place to support business to secure a strong online presence”.

Official star ratings are awarded to accommodation providers in England who have signed up to VisitEngland’s National Quality Assessment Scheme, and allow potential customers to choose their accommodation with confidence. The star ratings are determined by the services and facilities provided for guests, the quality of the welcome, the service and hospitality of the staff, the food, and the cleanliness.

VisitEngland star ratings will be automatically updated on TripAdvisor on a weekly basis to update any changes and ensure stars are displayed alongside new entries.