International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Systems

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

What Really Matters to Hotel Guests:A Study of Guest Reviews of 3 Star Hotels in Bangkok


Affiliations
1 H.P. University, Summer Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The purpose of the study is to investigate the user-generated content of guests hotel reviews available on Trip Advisor to identify the most scrutinized and discussed dimensions of a hotel by hotel guests. The results reveal that the room, staff, hotel transport connectivity, food, and proximity to other shopping and eating outlets, are the main concerns addressed by guests either as compliments or complaints in their word-of-mouth feedback. The research concludes that in a highly competitive hotel business environment an insight into guest reviews is vital for hoteliers to lay out a road map for improving the various services on offer in an accommodation property. The findings are also suggestive of the importance for hoteliers to continuously monitor the hugely available and easily accessible electronic guest feedback/electronic word of mouth (eWOM), that in the present electronic era, travels extremely fast, far and wide, critically influencing the image and sales of a hotel.

Keywords

User Generated Content, Electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWoM), Hotel Reviews, TripAdvisor.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Akehurst, G. (2009). User generated content: The use of blogs for tourism organization’s and tourism consumers. Service Business, 3(1), 51-61.

  • Albuquerque, P., Pavlidis, P., Chatow, U., Chen, K.-Y., & Jamal, Z. (2012). Evaluating promotional activities in an online two-sided market of user-generated content. Marketing Sciences, 31(3), 406-432.

  • Au, N., Buhalis, D., & Law, R. (2009). Complaints on the online environment: The case of Hong Kong hotels. In W. Hopken, U. Gretzel & R. Law (Eds.), Information and communication technologies in tourism (pp. 73-85). New York: Springer-Verlag.

  • Aureli, S., Medei, R., Supino, E., & Travaglini, C. (2014). Online review contents and their impact on three and four-star hotel reservations: Some evidence in Italy. In Z. Xiang and L. Tussyadiah (Eds.), Information and communication technologies in tourism (pp. 381-393). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

  • Ayeh, J. K., Au, N., & Law, R. (2013). Predicting the intention to use consumer-generated media for travel planning. Tourism Management, 35, 132-143.

  • Barreda, A., & Bilgihan, A. (2013). An analysis of user generated content for hotel experiences. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 4(3), 263-280.

  • Boon, E., Bonera, M., & Bigi, A. (2014). Measuring hotel service quality from online consumer reviews: A proposed method. In Z. Xiang, and L. Tussyadiah (Eds.), Information and communication technologies in tourism (pp. 367-379). Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

  • Brown, J., Broderick, A. J., & Lee, N. (2007). Word of mouth communication within online communities: Conceptualizing the online social network. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(3), 2-20.

  • Chatterjee, P. (2001). Online reviews: Do consumers use them? Advances in Consumer Research, 28(1), 129-133.

  • Chevalier, J. A., & Mayzlin, D. (2006). The effect of word of mouth on sales: Online book reviews. Journal of Marketing Research, 43, 345-354.

  • Choi, T. Y., & Chu, R. (2001). Determinants of hotel guests satisfaction and repeat patronage in Hong Kong hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 20, 277-297.

  • Chung, J. Y., & Buhalis, D. (2008). Web 2.0: A study of online travel community. In P. O’Connor, W. Höpken & Gretzel, U. (Eds.), Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism (pp. 70-81). New York: Springer Wien.

  • Cox, C., Burgess, S., Sellitto, C., & Buultjens, J. (2009). The role of user-generated content in tourists’ travel planning behavior. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 18(8), 743-764.

  • Dellarocas, C. (2003). The digitization of word of mouth: promise and challenges of online feedback mechanisms. Management Science, 49(10), 1407-24.

  • Dolnicar, S., & Otter, T. (2003). Which hotel attributes matter? A review of previous and a framework for future research. In T. Griffin and R. Harris (Eds.), Proceedings of the 9th Annual Conference of the Asia Pacific Tourism Association (APTA) (pp. 176-188). Sydney: University of Technology.

  • Dwyer, P (2007). Measuring the value of electronic word of mouth and its impact in consumer communities. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 21(2), 63-79.

  • Ekiz , H. E., Khoo-Lattimore, C., & Memarzadeh, F. (2012). Air the anger: investigating online complaints on luxury hotels. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 3(2), 96-106.

  • Gretzel, U., & Yoo, K. H. (2008). Use and impact of online travel reviews. In P.O’Connor, W. Hopken and U. Gretzel (Eds.), Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2008 (pp. 35-46). Vienna, Austria: Springer-Verlag Wien.

  • Khoo-Lattimore, C., & Ekiz, H. E. (2014). Power in praise: Exploring online compliments on luxury hotels in Malaysia. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 4(3) 152-159.

  • Kozinets, R. V., De Valck, K., Wojnicki, A. C., & Wilner, S. J. S. (2010). Networked narratives: Understanding word-of-mouth marketing in online communities. Journal of Marketing, 74(March), 71-89.

  • Krippendorff, K. (2004). Content analysis: An introduction to its methodology (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  • Lee, J., Park, D. H., & Han, I. (2008). The effect of negative online consumer reviews on product attitude: An information processing view. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 7(3), 341-352.

  • Litvin, S. W., Goldsmith, R. E., & Pan, B. (2008). Electronic word-of-mouth in hospitality and tourism management. Tourism Management, 29(3), 458-468.

  • Mauri, A. G., & Minazzi, R. (2013). Web reviews influence on expectations and purchasing intentions of hotel potential customers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, 99-107.

  • McCarthy, L., Stock, D., & Verma, R. (2010). How travelers use online and social media channels to make hotel-choice decisions. Cornell Hospitality Report, 10(18), 4-18.

  • O’Connor, P. (2008). User-generated content and travel: A case study on TripAdvisor. In P. O’Connor, W. Höpken and U. Gretzel (Eds.), Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism (pp. 47-58). New York: Springer Wien.

  • O’Connor, P. (2010). Managing a hotel’s image on TripAdvisor. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, 19(7), 754-772.

  • Ogut, H., & Tas, B. K. O. (2012). The influence of internet customer reviews on online sales and prices in hotel industry. The Service Industries Journal, 32(2), 197-214.

  • Ong, B. S. (2012). The perceived influence of user reviews in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 21(5), 463-485.

  • Pan, B., MacLaurin, T., & Crotts, C.J. (2007). Travel blogs and implications for destination marketing. Journal of Travel Research, 46(1), 35-45.

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1988). SERVQUAL: A multiple-item scale for measuring consumer perception of service quality. Journal of Retailing, 64(Spring), 12-40.

  • Park, S., & Allen, J. (2013). Responding to online reviews: Problem solving and engagement in hotels. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 54(1), 64-73.

  • Rodriguez-Matos, Y. E. (2014). Online traveler ratings: Impact on determining the top 25 Hotels. MBA Student Scholarship. Paper 38. Retrieved March 15, 2016 from http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/mba_student/38

  • Schindler, R. M., & Bickart, B. (2012). Perceived helpfulness of online consumer reviews: The role of message content and style. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 11, 234-243.

  • Sparks, B. A., & Browning, V. (2011). The impact of online reviews on hotel booking intentions and perception of trust. Tourism Management, 32(6), 1310-1323.

  • Stringam, B. B., & Gerdes Jr, J. (2010). An analysis of word-of-mouth ratings and guest comments of online hotel distribution sites. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 19(7), 773-796.

  • Vermeulen, I. E., & Seegers, D. (2009). Tried and tested: The impact of online hotel reviews on consumer consideration. Tourism Management, 32, 123-127.

  • Williams, R., Van der Wiele, T., Van Iwaarden, J., & Eldridge, S. (2010). The importance of user-generated content: The case of hotels. The TQM Journal, 22(2), 117-128.

  • Willemsen, L. M., Neijens, P. C., Bronner, F., & de Ridder, A. J. (2011). Highly recommended! The content characteristics and perceived usefulness of online consumer review. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17(1), 19-38.

  • Xiang, Z., & Gretzel, U. (2010). Role of social media in online travel information search. Tourism Management, 31, 179-188.

  • Ye, Q., Law, R., & Gu, B. (2009). The impact of online user reviews on hotel room sales. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28, 180-182.

  • Ye, Q., Law, R., Gu, B., & Chen, W. (2011). The influence of user-generated content on traveler behavior: An empirical investigation on the effects of e-word-of-mouth to hotel online bookings. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(2), 634-639.

  • Yilmaz, I. (2009). Measurement of service quality in the hotel industry. Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(2), 375-386.


Abstract Views: 281

PDF Views: 1




  • What Really Matters to Hotel Guests:A Study of Guest Reviews of 3 Star Hotels in Bangkok

Abstract Views: 281  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Sonia Khan
H.P. University, Summer Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract


The purpose of the study is to investigate the user-generated content of guests hotel reviews available on Trip Advisor to identify the most scrutinized and discussed dimensions of a hotel by hotel guests. The results reveal that the room, staff, hotel transport connectivity, food, and proximity to other shopping and eating outlets, are the main concerns addressed by guests either as compliments or complaints in their word-of-mouth feedback. The research concludes that in a highly competitive hotel business environment an insight into guest reviews is vital for hoteliers to lay out a road map for improving the various services on offer in an accommodation property. The findings are also suggestive of the importance for hoteliers to continuously monitor the hugely available and easily accessible electronic guest feedback/electronic word of mouth (eWOM), that in the present electronic era, travels extremely fast, far and wide, critically influencing the image and sales of a hotel.

Keywords


User Generated Content, Electronic Word-Of-Mouth (eWoM), Hotel Reviews, TripAdvisor.

References