In the middle of the winter season

Hate comments: Styrian hoteliers fight back

Booking, HolidayCheck, Tripadvisor and co.: online review platforms like these are a blessing and a curse for Styrian hoteliers. Because anonymous hate comments are increasingly mingling with constructive criticism. Hotel operators in Styria no longer want to be threatened and are now calling for a ban on anonymity.

Among international voices, Styrian hoteliers are now also speaking out: Anonymity should not be a free pass for negative reviews. "We love criticism, but a certain standard should be introduced to curb the aggression of some," says Gernot Deutsch, Styrian regional chairman of the Austrian Hotel Association.