We know that reviews are the holy grail in the tourism sector today. Reviews are your object's stars and customer preference. In fact, online reviews influence more than 90% of consumers before making a purchase, and more than 70% of consumers have more confidence in a local business if it has positive online reviews.

And this is precisely where the greatest power and business model of Fast Review (FR), a domestic travel tech product and a growing franchise that is spreading across Europe, lies.

Fast Review helps get more positives online review and feedback from customers while they are still using the service and while their impressions are fresh, but it also helps to strengthen the brand vision and maintain customer satisfaction.

FR recently opened a franchise in Greece, so I spoke with Ivan Prvanović who recently assumed the position of COO (Chief Operating Officer) at FastReview.

Fast Review aims to strengthen its presence throughout Europe. Two weeks ago, he signed a contract and cooperation with the new franchisor Antonis Zotos, who bought the franchise for the Crete area and thus became a new member of the Fast Review family, states Prvanović and adds an interesting element of how the cooperation came about.

"The cooperation came easily and naturally, in the sense that Mr. Antonis is the commercial director of Carwiz in Greece, which is our global client. As he was fully familiar with our work, the great potential of using our tool and the way it works decided to become our franchise partner. Antonis recognized the investment in the Fast Review franchise as his private investment. He will continue to work at Carwiz, and the team he assembled will spread Fast Review throughout Crete. Crete is an exceptional tourist destination that is growing and developing at a great rate speed from year to year. We were pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of hotels and restaurants on this beautiful island."

Also, Greece is a global tourist destination and brand.

The tourism sector will contribute €2023 billion to the Greek economy by the end of 39,2, which is 4% below the pre-pandemic peak of €2019 billion in 40,8. This is an indicator of how tourism in Greece has recovered. Also, according to analyses, the tourism sector will create more than 17.000 jobs in Greece this year, reaching a peak in 2019 of 820.000 employees in travel and tourism.

More than fertile ground for FastReview, as well as all other travel products and services. Expectations are high, especially since the entire tourism and hospitality sector in Greece is extremely digitized.

You can even tip waiters via POS device/card. Soon it will be possible in Croatia as well.

"Today, digitization is simply imposed as a necessity. The reason for this is the extremely large and rapid development of technologies and the strengthening of the IT sector. In the turbulent times in which we live, we now have the opportunity to use all the advantages and benefits of the digital world with the aim of making business easier, faster, more transparent and more sustainable. It seems to me that in our part of Europe there is still a slight resistance to innovation and that people and companies have fear, which I believe stems from ignorance and insufficient information, but this trend is also changing quite quickly, because the market itself forces us to adapt . Two years ago, when we started working, the situation in our region was very bad when we talk about new technologies, specifically the NFC technology with which our tool works. We soon realized that first of all it is necessary to educate the market, provide it with new knowledge and information, then create a market need, where the sale itself was the last step. Today the picture is much different and now it is much easier to work. The Greeks are excellent hosts and are absolutely aware of their global tourism potential. With this in mind, I believe that Fast Review will quickly position itself and be recognized by local businessmen and the entire tourism sector."

Somehow the impression is that Croatia is trotting quite a bit for digitization, and thus the awareness of the importance of reviews? Reviews are the most important currency today, even more important than basic stars. How does FR help hotels and restaurants, i.e. the tourism sector, to significantly increase the number of reviews?

"I wouldn't say that (only) Croatia is pursuing digitalization, it seems to me that the entire region is only at the beginning of this important, much-needed and complex process. As for the reviews themselves, I will explain their importance in today's business very simply: Review = Profit ! This language is understood by absolutely every entrepreneur", emphasizes Prvanović.

I certainly agree with Prvanović here, because as I stated above, nowadays reviews are more important than stars. Also, reviews are nothing new, in fact they always have been and will remain the most powerful marketing tool. Until recently, the world functioned on the principle of referral and we are all aware of its importance. Reviews are just digital personal recommendations or in the domain of the times we live in, even recommendations have become digital.