Showing papers in "Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology in 2017"

The influence of social media on the consumers' hotel decision journey.

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore “how social media influence the way consumers search, evaluate and select a hotel within the ‘evaluation stage’ of the wider hotel decision-making process”. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory qualitative research has been carried out, conducting 12 individual face-to-face, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with social media users, followed by a qualitative thematic analysis. Findings Social media transform the consumers’ hotel decision journey by influencing the way consumers search, decide and book hotels. The findings reveal the determinants shaping this process, by shedding light on the perceived value of using social media, consumers’ information search behaviour “then and now”, the advantages and disadvantages of social media use for decision-making, their trustworthiness and the factors that influence the consumers’ hotel decision-journey. The findings are conceptualised in an integrated theoretical model, entitled “hotel consumer decision-journey through social media”. Research limitations/implications The study’s scope for qualitative in-depth insights into the “hotel consumer decision-journey through social media” asked for a compromise on a larger sample size and in turn the transferability of the theoretical model beyond service, hospitality and tourism consumer decision-making contexts. Practical implications This paper provides strategic implications for hospitality marketing and management for a better understanding of the influence of social media on the hotel customer decision journey. The study shows that a variety of social media with associated content sources and levels add to the complexity of hotel-related information search and decision behaviour. The developed framework not only helps hotel professionals understand consumers’ different levels (e.g. type of content, content source, content level) through which social media might influence decision-making. Various real-life scenarios presented also help practitioners understand the fine nuances of how consumers are influenced by social media and how this causes them to iteratively change their minds and make a final decision towards the rejection or selection of a hotel. Originality/value Consumers use social media for a wide spectrum of scenarios in tourism and hospitality, while the influence of social media on the consumers’ hotel decision-making process remains little understood. This study makes a theoretical contribution in that it addresses these existing gaps and bridges consumer behaviour and social media literature in the hotel context to shed light on the “hotel consumer decision journey through social media”. The core contribution is an integrated theoretical model and real-life scenarios that depict the impact of social media on the hotel decision-making.

Hotel social media marketing: a study on message strategy and its effectiveness

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop a typology of social media messages to compare the effectiveness of different message strategies. Design/methodology/approach In total, 1,837 messages from 12 hotel brand Facebook pages were content-analyzed. Applying both correspondence analysis and multivariate analysis of variance, the study compared message strategy across hotel-scale levels and explored the effectiveness of different message strategies. Findings A typology of four-type message format and six-type message content was developed. The picture message was the best message format. Product, brand and involvement messages were shown to be more effective than information, reward and promotion messages. Promotion message was the least effective message content type. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this study is the generalizability owing to the sample selection process. There is also the limitation on exclusion of control variables, selection of the three effectiveness measures and evolving social media technology. Practical implications The typology of Facebook message strategy developed in the study provided guidelines for hotel marketers to create messages on Facebook pages and track effectiveness. Hotels should also take full advantage of the picture format and product, brand and involvement contents. Originality/value This study created a new typology of social media message strategy consisting of two dimensions. It also provided empirical evidence to support the application of message strategy theory in the hotel social media marketing area.

Influencer identification in Twitter networks of destination marketing organizations

Abstract: Purpose Destination marketing organizations (DMOs) use Twitter to promote attractions and special events and to build brand awareness. Tweets of a DMO spread through a complex network of connected accounts. Some of these are more influential than others due to their position within the network. This paper aims to use a network analysis of 14 DMOs to identify the categories of influencers that have the greatest reach. Design/methodology/approach NodeXL was used to download and analyze network data from Twitter during July 2016 for a collection of DMOs promoting US cities. Accounts in the networks were ranked using several measures of relative influence such as the number of times the accounts mentioned/retweeted others or were mentioned in posts about the DMO. The most influential accounts in the network were identified and coded by category. Findings Media, promotional accounts and those of individuals were determined to be influential by each metric considered. Stakeholders such as hotels and restaurants occupy positions of low importance in the networks and generally do not capitalize on opportunities provided by the DMOs. Practical implications DMOs can seek out strategic partnerships with key influencers to maximize their effectiveness. Additionally, stakeholders can improve their Twitter presence by interacting with the DMOs and other influential accounts. Originality/value This paper identifies influencers that can aid in DMOs’ marketing campaigns. It also presents a methodology that can monitor the effectiveness of such campaigns, something absent in the current literature.

Mobile augmented reality (MAR) game as a travel guide: insights from Pokémon GO

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the aspects of the Pokemon GO game that influenced travelers to use the app, and to pinpoint aspects of the mobile augmented reality (MAR) game that can memorably engage with them like a travel guide and influence individual traveler experience during and after usage. This current study specifically focused on examining the behavioral intentions to use the MAR app as a travel guide in the future. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive methods were used, with a target population for this study consisting of smartphone users who had downloaded Pokemon GO and had played the game. An exponential non-discriminative sample, snowball sampling method, was chosen by selecting a group of respondents who have played the game and using those to help identify other respondents in the target population who have played the game. A 15-item survey instrument drawing from industry insights and academic literature was created for the purpose of the study. Findings The number of downloads, length of usage and frequency of game play declined between the months of July and September. However, a 71 per cent majority of surveyed respondents still had the app on their smartphone at the time of the study. The Pokemon GO app offered all four realms of experiences – educational, entertainment, esthetic and escapist – and enhanced the overall user experience. This study revealed that a majority (77 per cent) of the respondents would be interested in using Pokemon GO as a travel guide. Furthermore, a majority (73 per cent) of respondents stated that they would be interested in using an MAR game as a travel guide in the future. Research limitations/implications For all its interaction with the real world, Pokemon GO is still just an early version of an MAR app, and does not offer a fully immersive and interactive AR experience. The study used snowball sampling due to its exploratory and may not be able to guarantee the representative nature of the sample. Concerning the research method used, such methods were necessary for a review of an existing MAR app as a travel guide to further fill some gaps in literature. Practical implications This study bridged the gap between theory and practice by offering key insights specifically into customers’ intentions to use the Pokemon GO game or other customized MAR game as a travel guide in the hospitality and tourism industry. Pokemon GO and similar MAR games could potentially change the way destinations are marketed in the tourism industry. This current study pinpointed five exploitable qualities of MAR technology and how hospitality and tourism businesses can use them to tap into this new global and social phenomenon. Social implications Pokemon GO and similar MAR games bring people together. In fact, unlike social media, where users are spending significant amounts of time just browsing without posting or interacting with others, MAR games create face-to-face interactions. MAR games enhance real-life social interaction, which might signify a social media trend back toward real world networking and meeting with friends. Originality/value Since the early 2000s, several qualitative and a few quantitative studies have been done to explore (MAR) applications as a travel guide; however, none of them have reviewed a MAR game app that can be offered as a travel guide. That makes this a pioneer study, investigating an existing MAR app that was not created with this use in mind and examining the intentions to use it as a travel guide.

Prosumer motivations for electronic word-of-mouth communication behaviors.

Abstract: Purpose “Prosumers” (combining “producer” and “consumers”) describes consumers’ ability to openly share their product/service experiences and thereby drive sales and digital marketing. Understanding what motivates active prosumers to engage in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and share or review their hotel experiences online can help organizations empathize with consumers and use their messages to co-create value. Identifying prosumers’ motivators can enable companies to properly target them as resources for review or consumer feedback studies. This paper aims to investigate the influence of motivators (intrinsic and extrinsic), service quality and age on consumers’ eWOM communication behaviors. Design/methodology/approach A panel of 204 travelers was surveyed regarding their hotel travel experiences, propensity to write online reviews, preferred review-writing platform, motivations for writing reviews and impressions of service quality. To test the hypotheses, a multivariate regression analysis was performed with eWOM as the dependent variable. Differences in eWOM as a function of preferred review platform were also tested using ANOVA, with a multiple comparison analysis that underlines the differences between prosumers who prefer different types of review platforms and their eWOM behaviors. Findings Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, as well as service reliability, had a significant influence on eWOM behavior, while service tangibility had a negative relationship. Additionally, prosumers’ engagement in eWOM about their hospitality experience differed according to their preferred review platform. Research limitations/implications The findings of the analysis underline the importance of consumer motivations and of satisfaction with service quality in the context of digital review behavior. For marketing and hospitality research, this shows the benefits of including not only individual characteristics and demographics when analyzing review behavior but also elements such as perceptions of service quality. Given the differences in how the dimensions of service quality affect consumers’ engagement in online review behavior, this represents a very important topic for research and can be included in future studies that analyze the consumer review behavior model. Practical implications Regarding the implications for practitioners, this study highlights the important role played by consumer satisfaction with service in the hospitality industry and its effect on their involvement in online reviews. Managers should be focused constantly on offering great service to their guests, while, at the same time, offering them motivations to engage in posting positive reviews about their vacation. Moreover, as the results of this study imply that various dimensions of service quality have a different impact, managers should focus especially on the aspects that consumers consider important and constantly include in their reviews, such as the tangibles dimension. The results of this study also have the potential to provide to businesses more information to improve the social aspects of vacationing, which can not only improve perceptions about service quality but can also have a positive influence on consumers’ motivations. Originality/value This paper develops a better understanding of what motivates people to engage in the eWOM communication behavior of writing online hotel reviews, by showing the effect of consumer motivations and service quality variables on prosumers’ engagement in online review behavior.

Exploring tourists’ cultural experiences in Naples through online reviews

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to analyse online reviews to explore the experiences of tourists related to cultural attractions. Furthermore, the study identifies similarities and differences between cultural attractions and identifies tourists’ preferences. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis and principal component analysis are applied to 12.592 online reviews, in Italian, posted on TripAdvisor by tourists who visited 58 cultural attractions of Naples (Italy) between 2011 and 2014. Findings Findings reveal five critical components of tourists’ experience related to cultural attractions: wonder, authenticity, relaxation, discovery and knowledge. Findings show that tourists can interpret cultural attractions in different ways. Research limitations/implications This study makes advancements on the relationships between tourists’ experience and cultural attractions. Research limitations are related to the geographical context and to the database, which presents a strong standardisation of evaluations, almost never negative. Furthermore, the analysis is limited to online reviews written in Italian language. Future studies will be dedicated to explore reviews in other languages and on other cultural destinations. Practical implications The study draws managerial implications at local and general level. Locally, findings provide suggestions and practical implications to support the tourism policies and marketing of Naples. At general level, the paper provides implications for destination manager organisations and policy makers to strengthen the attractiveness of cultural attractions, develop destination marketing strategies and offer more satisfying cultural experiences. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that uses online reviews to explore the experiences of tourists who visit cultural attractions.

The impact of employee’s perception of implementing green supply chain management on hotel’s economic and operational performance

Abstract: Purpose This study aims to quantify the associations among employees’ perception of implementing green supply chain management (i.e. through seven variables, namely, internal environmental management, green information systems, green purchasing, tourist perceptions, environmentally friendly activity, employee emotional behavior and environmental legislation) with hotel’s economic and operational performance. Design/methodology/approach A survey instrument is used to examine the relationships in the proposed model by using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. An analysis of the primary data (n = 150) collected from employees in Aqaba hotels located in Jordan is conducted to test the relationship between exogenous and endogenous constructs expressed in the proposed structural model. Findings The findings revealed that while green information systems, employee emotional behavior and environmental legislation affected hotels’ economic performance, internal environmental management, green purchasing, tourist perceptions and environment-friendly activity did not. Also, hotels’ economic performance positively impacted hotels’ operational performance. However, as the coefficient of determination (R²) for the endogenous research variables for economic performance and operational performance was 0.16 and 0.17, respectively, the relationships between the exogenous and endogenous constructs were not supported. Practical implications This study will contribute towards a better understanding of employee perceptions of implementing green supply chain management and hotel performance in Aqaba City. Originality/value This is the first study that adequately covers the associations among employee perception of implementing green supply chain management on hotel’s economic and operational performance in the Middle East.

Do customers care about types of hotel service recovery efforts? An example of consumer-generated review sites

Abstract: Purpose Focusing on hotel managers’ service recovery efforts to service failures, this study aims to explore effects of different types of service recovery strategies on customers’ trust, satisfaction and behavioral intentions in the context of consumer-generated media. Design/methodology/approach This study conducted a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design to examine effects of hotels’ sincere apology, compensation and existing relationship with customers on customers’ subsequent psychological behavior. An online self-administered survey was used to recruit participants who posted their experiences with a hotel on consumer-generated review sites. Findings Results of this study identified that when managers incorporated authenticity and compensation components, customers were more likely to show a higher level of trust, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Research limitations/implications Derived from the justice theory and the relationship investment theory, this study identified the main effects of three treatments and their interaction effects on customers’ subsequent behaviors. Practical implications Results of this study suggested that service recovery communication processes, in particular, authenticity and compensation, be an integral part of the service recovery strategies in the social media context. Originality/value This paper investigated the importance of hotel managers’ service recovery communication strategies in the social media context.

Explaining and predicting online tourists’ behavioural intention in accepting consumer generated contents

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the factors influencing Iranian tourists’ behavioural intention to use consumer-generated contents (CGC) websites whilst browsing the web when it comes to travel planning, based upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) extension. Design/methodology/approach The total of 211 valid responses were collected through an online questionnaire survey. Data collected from Iranian online tourists were used to test the proposed research model by using the partial least squares structural equation modeling method of analysis. Findings The results of the study indicate that perceived source credibility is the strongest predictor for behavioural intention. Furthermore, in this study, the most significant relationship is between perceived enjoyment and perceived ease of use. However, the findings of this study show that perceived ease of use is unable to predict behavioural intention of Iranian tourists while using CGC websites. Research limitations/implications This study provides clear evidence for the importance of additional key variables in improving the authors’ understanding of the Iranian adoption behaviour concerning CGC websites for travel planning purposes. Implications of this research can aid both academicians and practitioners towards a better understanding of tourists’ adoption behaviour when associated with the social media. Originality/value This paper adopts TAM and extends it with other variables, namely, perceived enjoyment, perceived source credibility and perceived risk. It examines their influence in the behavioural intention of using CGC for travel planning in the context of Iran for the first time.

Is a picture really worth a thousand words?: An experiment on hotel Facebook message effectiveness

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the marketing effectiveness of hotel Facebook messages in terms of promoting favorable attitudes and behavior intentions among potential hotel guests Design/methodology/approach An online experiment was conducted with a three (message format) × three (message content), between-subjects factorial design in which three message formats, i.e. word/text, picture and weblink, and three types of message content, i.e. brand, product and interactive, were manipulated. Findings The findings indicate that the most effective message format is dependent upon its purpose. Picture messages are most effective for promoting the brand, whereas weblink messages influence intentions to book hotels based on product attributes. Electronic word-of-mouth intention is an important outcome of Facebook marketing, which can be strengthened by word messages and weblink messages about products. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this study is that the study used pseudo Facebook pages and messages created for each experimental condition. Facebook pages can take many forms, so the findings may not generalize to other Facebook pages. Practical implications The findings of this study suggest several important practical implications for the hotel industry to leverage Facebook marketing. To foster favorable attitudes and build brand awareness, hotel marketers should include picture messages that prominently feature the brand image. To motivate booking a particular product, word messages describing product features should be provided, along with a weblink that takes the customer directly from product information to a hotel-booking engine. Originality/value Although preliminary research has been conducted on Facebook marketing activities, little is known about the effectiveness of Facebook messages. For example, do different types of messages have different effects on marketing effectiveness? What message type is most effective? Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate empirically the effects of different message types on marketing effectiveness. The results of this study will shed light on how hotels can post the most persuasive message content in the most effective message format on their Facebook pages to enhance their fans’ attitudes and increase their purchase intentions.

Measuring customer social participation in online travel communities.

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a scale to measure customer social participation in brand communities, specifically e-travel companies’ communities. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative research has been undertaken to generate a pool of items. Based on Churchill’s (1979) scale development process, numerous reliability and validity tests have been conducted to confirm the scale structure. Data were collected through online and field surveys from the students and hotel guests who have either subscribed, liked or joined any e-travel service companies’ community brand page using any social networking site or have ever posted or considered reviews and ratings of any e-travel service companies via their official site or via a mobile app while planning their travel. Findings The findings depict nine items on a three-dimensional scale for measuring customer participation in travel brand communities created on social networking sites. Research limitations/implications The findings provide important implications for hotel and travel managers and are likely to encourage future studies in the field of social media and travel brand communities. Originality/value This paper contributes to the literature by providing refinement to the distinct operationalization and conceptualization of customer online participation, specifically in social media-based travel brand communities. This paper is the first to develop a multidimensional scale of customer social participation in e-travel companies’ communities. This is a new addition to existing literature, as the majority of empirical studies in this field are from participation other than customer social participation and contexts different from e-travel companies.

E-complaint tracking and online problem-solving strategies in hospitality management: Plumbing the depths of reviews and responses on TripAdvisor

Abstract: This research aims to scrutinize the negative reviews regarding the 5-star chain hotels and the e-responses on TripAdvisor, to categorize the complaints declared in the review texts, to provide better understanding of the online problem-solving methods of hotels and their corporate approach to e-complaints and to reveal the post-vacation electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) behaviours of the complaining tourists.,Within the scope of this research, 404 negative reviews and 364 e-responses are subject to an extensive content analysis. A total of 1,655 tourist e-complaints which were mentioned in the negative online reviews are categorized according to their subject matters and grouped under main themes. The e-responses of hotels and statements of e-complaining tourists regarding post-vacation experience are analysed in detail based on a qualitative research approach.,As a result of the research, 82 sub-themes within 11 complaint categories are determined, and it is found out that the e-complaints mainly focus on “food and beverage services”, “room comfort” and “hotel staff”. The hotel management mainly implemented problem-solving strategies such as “request for future patronage, a recovery plan as a result of the detailed analysis of the problem and warning to the relevant department performing poor service” as well as giving unsatisfactory “cliche responses”. Dissatisfied tourists performed negative e-WOM behaviours by using abusing expressions in review text, recommending different hotel alternatives, failing to recommend the hotel and expressing that they would not return.,Combing through negative e-reviews which include wide range of complaints of disappointed tourists and the statements which reveal post-vacation tendencies and feelings, the e-responses of hotels that are providing insight regarding the corporate approach to negative feedbacks and formation of post-vacation relations between the hotel and customers, the paper adopts a qualitative and utilitarian approach. The originality of the paper stems from its elaborative context analysis and balanced comparison of three 5-star luxury chain resort hotels located on the shores of the Mediterranean with almost similar quality standards and guest relations/public relations (GR/PR) departments that represent corporate identity. To this respect, the research is thought to be original in quality and can fill out the gap in the tourism literature. Presenting conceptual framework and practical information, the paper is predicted to guide the future studies, tourism marketers, travel consultants, PR/GR staff and managers employed in hospitality businesses.

The (mis)use of social media to communicate CSR in hospitality

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to discuss how the hospitality industry is communicating corporate social responsibility (CSR) to its stakeholders, the premise being CSR communication through social media platforms will increase stakeholder engagement. Design/methodology/approach This paper is developed based on Schwartz and Carroll’s three-domain approach to CSR motivation, stakeholder theory and a synthesis of previous literature of CSR communication in the hospitality industry. Findings Successful communication through social media is based on two-way participative dialogue. Companies, especially the hospitality industry, have used social media to communicate information through social media in a one-way direction, that of giving information. One example is the communication of CSR actions and intentions as found on hospitality websites, intranets and social media platforms. While previous studies have shown a link between CSR communication through social media and corporate reputation, few studies have examined CSR communication through social media and its effects on specific stakeholder groups. Research limitations/implications Rather than assuming that CSR communication can be done successfully through a “one-size-fits-all” social media discourse, this paper suggests the need for specific messages and potentially different communication channels to increase engagement from each of the various stakeholders in the hospitality industry. Originality/value This is one of the first papers which tries to address how one communication channel, social media, can affect CSR communication and increase stakeholder engagement in the hospitality industry. This paper provides discussion on the usefulness of social media to communicate CSR messages and posits the need for future research projects on a macro and micro level.

Effects of relationship types on customers’ parasocial interactions: Promoting relationship marketing in social media

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate different types of customer relationships on customers’ interaction with the brand, based on prior social media and relationship marketing research. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, self-administered online survey was conducted to investigate the role of different types of relationships on customers’ brand-relevant responses in the context of hotel social media platforms. Findings Results identified customers’ relationships with services and brands, and how other customers influenced their parasocial interactions (PSIs). Customers’ PSIs then positively influenced their self-brand connection and their brand usage intention. Originality/value This study was the first attempt to propose a conceptual framework to explain different types of customer relationships on customers’ interactions with the brand in the context of hotel social media platforms.

Social media advertising in a competitive market: Effects of earned and owned exposures on brand purchase

Abstract: Purpose Previous literature has discussed the importance of two types of social media exposures: owned social media (OSM) exposures generated by service providers and earned social media (ESM) exposures initiated by consumers. This study aims to examine the relative effects of owned and ESM exposures on brand purchase, as well as their advertising externality to competing brands. Rooted in theory of planned behavior and advertising externality literature, this study hypothesizes that owned and ESM exposures positively influence brand purchase. Such effects, however, can spill over to competing brands that invest in social media marketing and co-exist in the market. Design/methodology/approach This study collects brand purchase records and social media messages on the Facebook brand pages of a group of service providers over 12 months. The data are assembled for time series analysis with the unit of analysis being “brand × bi-week”. Findings Using a blend of fixed-effects models and seemingly unrelated regressions, this study finds that both owned and ESM exposures positively affect brand purchase, the purchase effect of OSM exposures is greater than ESM exposures, OSM exposures generate not only more purchase of the focal brand but also positive advertising externality to competing brands, whereas ESM exposures locks up the advertising effect to the focal brand without spilling over to competing brands. Originality/value This study advances the understanding about the externality of social media exposures in an increasingly competitive market where multiple brands invest in social media marketing and co-exist. Important implications on the strategic use of social media exposures to drive brand purchase while competing with similar brands are provided.

The impact of engaged users on eWOM of hotel Facebook page

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine factors affecting the engagement metrics of the hotel Facebook page. Such factors include time-of-day, day-of-week, age, gender and distance between the hotel and users’ origin of residence. Another purpose is to assess the impact of Facebook engagement on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), to better understand the importance of the engagement metrics within the hotel Facebook context. Design/methodology/approach This study uses secondary data from the Facebook page of a 147-room hotel in Northeast America. A total of 181 observations reflecting primary Facebook metrics are adopted via Facebook Insights between January 2014 and June 2014. Findings The number of daily-engaged users positively affects the number of daily people talking about the page (eWOM). Moreover, the number of engaged users differs significantly by the external factors (time-of-day, day-of-week, age, gender and distance). Practical implications Hotel Facebook developers should post the most important promotions on Monday afternoon, targeting females aged between 25 and 34 years living within 50 miles of the hotel. Posting on hotel Facebook a few hours before “traffic” to avoid competition and gain visibility is important. Marketers should focus on giving feedback during peak times. Originality/value This empirical study extends prior studies on social media metrics to the effects of external factors on the engagement metrics within the hotel Facebook context. Increasing the number of engaged users improves the effectiveness of eWOM for a hotel, which lacks empirical evidence.

The role of travel experience and gender on travel information source selection

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to identify the most popular travel information sources used among tourists and investigates how travel information selection differs across travel experience and gender. Design/methodology/approach This study used convenient and quota sampling strategy, questionnaires were distributed to 270 respondents at Sultanahmet and Grand Bazaar areas. A screening question was used to classify respondents. Findings First, past travel experience, travel agent, travel websites and hotel websites are generally the most frequently used travel information sources in destination selection due to conveniences and reliability. Second, first-timers prefer to use external information sources such as Facebook, guidebooks, travel agents and newspapers to gather information about destinations, whereas repeat visitors prefer to use internal information sources such as friends’ suggestions and past travel experience. Lastly, female visitors rely more on internal information sources such as friends’ suggestions and past travel experience. However, males prefer to use external information sources like Facebook, television, blog, travel agents, newspaper and guidebooks in choosing Turkey as a destination. Research limitations/implications Because factors studied, travel information sources selected, number of respondents and questionnaire distribution area are limited, future studies can expand to a bigger area so more respondents could get more reliable results. Practical implications This paper could help tourism industries understand searching behaviours among different types of tourists better to promote businesses in convenient sources and reach target customers easily. Originality/value This paper fulfils an identified need to study how travel information searching behaviours differ among tourists.

What do we know about social media and firms’ financial outcomes so far?

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to understand the emergence, the revolution and the relevant knowledge of academic research concentrating on social media (SM) and hospitality and tourism firms’ financial performance. The authors not only identified the gaps and critical issues in research but also re-conceptualized profound directions for the future research in technology and finance in the hospitality and tourism field. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted an in-depth review analysis to investigate and review previous scholarly papers published in hospitality, tourism and hospitality and tourism journals from January 2011 to the present. The authors thoroughly analyzed and reviewed peer-reviewed/refereed, blind-reviewed, full-length published articles and working papers within SM and hospitality firms’ financial performance. Editor notes, prefaces, research notes, industry articles, internet publications, conference preceding, books and book chapters were excluded. Findings Having examined the empirical content of 26 peer-reviewed scholarly articles, the authors clearly observed that none of the papers went beyond analyzing the effect of SM on hotels’ revenue per available room, revenues, net profit, average daily rate, occupancy rates, net operating income, etc., and all papers ignored the analysis of many critical financial proxies. Research limitations/implications This critique and review paper is limited to the relationship between SM and firms’ financial performance within the hospitality and tourism context. Practical implications This review provides a blueprint to guide future research, facilitate knowledge accumulation and create a new understanding and awareness in practice as well as SM and financial performance research. Social implications This paper complements and adds to previous work by demonstrating various aspects, evidences, findings and inferences regarding the association between online SM platforms and firms’ financial performance and by proposing rigorous abstract and specific future extensions to both practice and discipline-specific knowledge. Originality/value There is an absence of the most updated review study of published papers on SM and hospitality and tourism firms’ financial performance. Although how SM contributes to firms’ financial performance is clear to academicians and industry professionals, no solid consensus or theoretical certainty about what the authors know and do not know has been achieved.

Role of brand story on narrative engagement, brand attitude, and behavioral intention

Abstract: Purpose This study investigated antecedents and outcomes of customers’ narrative engagement on hotels’ social networking sites (SNSs). Four different types of brand story were explored as antecedents for brand story. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, self-administered, online survey was conducted with customers who have stayed at a hotel and have used hotel SNSs within the past 12 months. Findings Results identified authenticity and humor brand story influenced customers’ narrative engagement, which further influenced their brand attitudes and behavioral intentions. However, reversal and conciseness types of a hotel’s brand story did not lead to customers’ narrative engagement. Research limitations/implications The role of SNSs in the hotel industry is evolving; however, the use of a hotel’s brand story has not been closely examined to date. This study investigated the importance of a hotel’s brand story that influenced customers’ narrative engagement on SNSs. Practical implications The preva...

Factors affecting customers’ intention to use of location-based services (LBS) in the lodging industry

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the determinants of customers’ intentions to use location-based services (LBS) offered by a hotel. The study examined whether hotel customers’ coupon proneness, trust, privacy concerns and familiarity with LBS are significant determinants of their intentions to use LBS. Design/methodology/approach An online survey using a scenario-based narrative was administered to collect data from participants who have smartphones and have stayed at a full-service hotel within the previous 12 months. A research model tested data collected from 402 hotel customers, using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings Three proposed determinants (i.e. familiarity, coupon proneness and trust) positively influenced customers’ intentions to use LBS. Out of the four dimensions of privacy concerns (concerns of collection, error, unauthorized secondary use and improper access), only concerns about data collection negatively influenced customers’ intentions to use a hotel’s LBS. Originality/value This study extends the literature on LBS adoption and other technology with privacy issues by modifying existing models and empirically testing it in the new context of hotels.

Do travel decision-making styles and gender of generation Y have any association with travel information share on social networking sites?

Abstract: Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the association of gender and travel decision-making style of generation Y (Gen Y) – recreational, price conscious, impulsive, perfectionist, high quality, novelty seeker, habitual, confused by over-choice – to the use of social networking sites (SNS) for travel information share. The study focuses on purchase decision pattern of young travelers by examining the travel decision-making styles. Design/methodology/approach The author has adopted the quantitative approach for the fulfillment of the objectives of the study. The exploratory method is used to get a better understanding of different concepts used in the study, Social Networking Sites and Decision-Making Style and Gen Y, and the primary information is collected from the structured questionnaire. Using travel decision-making style and gender as grouping variables, different tests were performed to test the hypothesis and to understand the influence of different travel decision-making style and gender on travel information share on SNS. Findings The present study identifies the existing seven travel decision-making styles of Gen Y, which are Confused by over-choice, Habitual, Novelty seeker, Price conscious, Perfectionist high-quality conscious, Recreational and Impulsive. The results of the study reflect that confused by over-choice, habitual, perfectionist, price conscious travel dimensions have an association with SNS for travel information share. In addition, gender also has an association with usages of SNS for travel information share. Research limitations/implications This study has only used consumer typology approach to study decision-making styles, whereas other variables like personality and attitude can be further studied. Second, the study is limited by the spatiotemporal limitation, as the study is just restricted to one geographical area and time, and generalizations can vary with the change in spatiotemporal features in the study. Practical implications The findings of the study imply that Gen Y is an important travel market segment, and to cater this segment, SNS can be used as an effective marketing tool. The study of various segments in different groups will help in understanding the market more clearly and using SNS more effectively. In addition, finding association of travel decision-making style with SNS helps in forming effective and innovative marketing strategies. Originality/value India is a developing country where many market segments are still unexplored and Gen Y is being one of them. The study was conducted, keeping in mind the need of tourism industry. The study explores the tourism market segment of Gen Y by identifying the decision-making style and also identifies the association of different decision-making style with Gen Y information-sharing behavior on social networking site.

Examining millennials’ online gambling behavior: a comparison of generational differences

Abstract: This study aims to examine Millennials and generational differences in online gambling activity by comparing online gambling behavior across four different generations: Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials.,The sample comprised tracked gambling data at the individual player level provided by an online casino accepting real money wagers in a major US gambling market. Attributes of gambling behavior were examined and compared across different generations using Kruskal–Wallis test and pairwise comparisons.,Generational differences were observed in 13 of the 16 behavioral variables. Millennials spent the least amount of time on gambling and exhibited the lowest scores on the number of days for slot gambling, trip length and trip frequency among all generations. However, their average table gaming volume per play day was greater than those of other generations.,The results of this study provide a better understanding of the generational differences in online gambling behavior. They also help casino operators and gaming machine manufacturers develop casino games and products that can appeal to different generational groups in the online gambling market.,Despite the on-going industry discussion about Millennials and their potential influence on the online gambling market, there appears to be a paucity of empirical research on the online gambling behavior of the Millennial generation. This study fills that gap in empirical evidence, addressing generational differences in online gambling.

Social media in the airline industry: acceptance of social seating

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to analyze influences on the adoption of an application launched by some airlines and independent providers, called “social seating”, which is based on user profiles from or similar to social networks. These applications have not been widely successful, and therefore constitute an interesting exception within the area of social networking, warranting further investigation. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study based on the technology acceptance model and using survey methodology has been undertaken to understand antecedents of adoption and use of such applications. Findings Results show a consistent influence of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness, as well as a strong role of privacy and data security. Research limitations/implications Due to the limited adoption, the actual use could only be investigated using a small data set, while the majority of results rely on stated intentions. Originality/value This is one of a few studies that focuses on a social networking application that both crosses into the physical world, and that has been very limited in adoption and success.

Value perception of world heritage sites and tourism sustainability matters through content analysis of online communications: The case of Victoria Falls world heritage site

Abstract: Purpose The debate on tourism sustainability and its contribution to local development has been very active, especially in connection with world heritage sites (WHSs). The analysis conducted was intended to evaluate the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in promoting sustainable tourism, stating the relevance given online by local and international operators to the fact a destination was a WHS and to its commitment over sustainability issues. With this aim, the authors aim to take the perspective of a person navigating online to collect information on possible travel to a specific globally recognised WHS: the Victoria Falls. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, for its structure, the authors propose the UN World Tourism Organisation book on sustainability (Sustainable Tourism for Development Guidebook, 2013) to define a framework suitable for a content analysis of websites and mobile applications – available to a prospective traveller, interested in visiting the Victoria Falls, one of the most known WHSs in Africa, not directly for a heritage end. Findings There are 91 available online resources that have been studied to assess whether the Victoria Falls is an area recognised and protected by UNESCO; the presence of sustainability-related contents; and the importance of information providers covering this topic and sharing with readers. A potential tourist to the Falls is not well informed online about issues related to sustainable tourism; his attention is likely not to be drawn to such issues, at least not explicitly. The results show there is plenty of room to improve the online communication value of an area recognised by UNESCO. Originality/value Literature does not offer other studies linking both WHSs and sustainability (and the related issues) to ICTs and adopting the tourist point of view. Using a WHS case, the results give evidence of the lack of a proper online communication, underlying the outstanding value of the area, and the destination’ initiatives towards sustainability. Results suggest how relevant could be for a destination to offer a proper and complete online communication, to educate travellers about the several implications of being a WHS and about a sustainable and responsible behaviour in case they choose to visit it.

Private club members’ perceptions of social media

Abstract: Purpose Private club members belong to an organization where people with common interests, experiences, backgrounds and professions meet for social and recreational purposes. This study aims to examine the relationships among private club members’ perceptions of social media regarding perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, attitude toward social media involvement and behavioral intention toward social media usage. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted among private club members across the USA (n = 571). The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The findings of this study center on the perceptions of club members and their beliefs and attitudes associated with their social media usage behavior. This study extends the social media literature by supporting previous studies that suggest a causal flow from perceived ease of use to intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment) based on a motivational model. Research limitations/implications This study is meaningful for revealing the perceptions of private club members and their beliefs and attitudes associated with their social media usage behavior. It is untested whether this study’s model applies to other hospitality businesses. Future research could examine other segments and add other variables such as perceived security and trust. Practical implications This study can provide private club managers, and the members of the clubs that they lead, with a better understanding of online social media. Originality/value This study is one of a few empirical online social media studies in the area of the private club industry. This study seeks to provide baselines regarding social media perceptions and usage in the hospitality literature by providing a comprehensive model.

The influence of incidental affect and mood-changing price on online booking intention

Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to examine the joint influence of incidental affect and mood-changing prices on consumers’ hotel booking intention in an online purchase context. Design/methodology/approach Based on the integrative framework of affect evaluation and affect regulation, a 3 × 2 full factorial between-subject online experiment in an online booking scenario is developed to investigate how consumers’ booking intentions change by mood inductions (happy, neutral and sad) and price levels (below versus above reference price). Findings Results showed that when the observed price was a mood-threatening cue, participants who were induced to feel either happy or sad by a commercial had a higher booking intention than those who were induced to feel neutral. However, there were no significant differences in participants’ booking intentions across pre-purchase affective states when the observed price was a mood-lifting cue. Research limitations/implications The current study contributes to a better understanding and prediction of consumers’ action tendencies resulting from the interactions between specific incidental affects and mood-changing opportunities in an online hotel reservation environment. Practical implications Online booking companies and online travel agencies in general may wish to incorporate mood-changing components into their booking web pages to enhance potential bookers’ purchase intentions at any given price. Originality/value This research is one of the first empirical studies to instantiate the integrative affective mechanism in an online purchase setting. As e-commerce and online marketplaces are taking the place of traditional brick-and-mortar retailing, it is critical for hospitality industry marketers to fully understand how consumers’ pre-purchase emotions influence their purchase decisions.