Analyzing Hotel Customers' E-Complaints from an Internet Complaint Forum

SUMMARY

Recent web technology advancement has enabled online customers to express their concerns and negative experiences about the hotel services over the Internet. This exploratory study attempts to provide some insights into this recent phenomenon by analyzing self-selected hotel customers' online complaints recorded on a specialized complaint forum, eComplaints.com. A content analysis of those e-Complaints in 18 problem categories revealed that online customers were mostly unhappy with fundamental service failures (i.e., declined service quality and rude employees) in the hotel service encounter. Surprisingly, only one in every five e-Complaints received a response from the hotel company in the identified top-five complaint categories. The authors further used text-mining software to identify most frequently complained keywords and examine their relational associations. Business implications of the research findings were also discussed.     

The Future of Internet Based Training in the Lodging Industry

ABSTRACT

It has become clear in recent years that the Internet has dramatically affected all aspects of hotel operations. Although the Internet has been primarily used as a medium for marketing and communications, it has the potential to reshape the way in which many other vital operations are performed, such as the distribution of training programs. The proliferation and popularity of the Internet now makes it possible to separate trainees and trainers by both time and location. This study examines expert's predictions of using Internet based training and identifies its benefits, drawbacks and barriers to entry in the lodging industry. The findings of the study have direct implications for hotel operators, training professionals, and technology vendors for their future training plan, budget, technology inputs, and product development.     

The Impact of the Internet on Travel Agencies in Hong Kong

Abstract

In recent years, the travel and tourism industry has begun to develop Internet applications more extensively. Many travel service suppliers, such as hotels and airline companies, already use the Internet as a direct channel for customer reservations. The integration of the Internet into the travel and tourism industry, however, presents a challenge towards the traditional role of travel agencies. The purpose of this study is to find out what impact the Internet has on travel agencies in Hong Kong. Outcomes of this research indicate that travel agents generally have positive attitudes towards Internet applications, and the potential threat-disintermediation-has not yet affected the travel industry. Travel agents believe that they can take advantage of the Internet technology to provide value-added services for their customers. Outcomes of the present study also indicate that there are significant relationships between company size, age and some Internet attributes. Travel agencies should therefore pay more attention to these attributes when adopting Internet technology.     

Developing,Operating, and Maintaining a Travel Agency Website

SUMMARY

Travel agencies have increasingly utilized agency Websites on the Internet to enhance their marketing efforts. This exploratory study aims to provide an analysis of the Internet use by travel agencies in the United States. A survey conducted with 102 travel agency professionals collected primary data to examine the perceived value and contribution of a Website to the agency business, purposes for developing and operating a Website, and benefits and challenges faced in operating a travel agency Website. The results of this study not only identified various issues in developing, operating, and maintaining a travel agency Website but also made various suggestions to address those issues. Implications are discussed as to how travel agencies could better understand e-consumer behavior and effectively market their product offerings online.     

GIS Applications in Tourism Marketing: Current Uses,an Experimental Application and Future Prospects

Abstract

The paper begins with a brief introduction to the technology of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and a review of current literature in the field of tourism based GIS (T-GIS). This is followed by a discussion of the theoretical possibilities of using T-GIS for traditional marketing purposes and a review of the related literature. The use of T-GIS for marketing is then considered both from the demand and supply sides. The second half of the paper provides a detailed account of the use of the Internet to incorporate GIS-based models and graphics as a marketing tool for the Alberta Ski Resort industry. Further developments and prospects using this technology are also described.     

The Relationships of Meeting Planners' Profiles with Usage and Attitudes Toward the Use of Technology

Abstract

This study had four objectives: to obtain a personal and professional profile of meeting planners and their computer/Internet usage; to determine meeting planners' attitudes toward computer/Internet technologies; to analyze the relationships of meeting planner personal and professional profiles and the computer/Internet usage on attitudes toward computer/Internet technologies; and to determine if there was a relationship between professional certifications and meeting planners' attitudes. A mailed survey was sent to a sample of members of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and 616 completed questionnaires were received. In the data analysis, the independent variables were divided into the three sets of profiles: socio-demographic, professional, and computer/Internet usage. It was found that meeting planners in the U.S. are mostly young (30 to 44 years old) females in corporate planning who earn between $45,000 and $49,999. They have been working in their positions from 3 to 5 years, plan more than 20 meetings in a year and dedicate 90 to 119 minutes a day to e-mail correspondence. The results revealed that meeting planners are not comfortable with scheduling virtual meetings, even though they are young and were born within the computer age. Although technology is a vital part of their daily lives, this study has found that meeting planners have considerable room to improve their technological knowledge.     

Information Search Behavior and Tourist Characteristics

SUMMARY

The Internet as a new form of media is impacting tourist information provision and acquisition. A better understanding of the use of the Internet and other information sources by tourists will benefit the marketing efforts of destination organizations. Based on a general consumer behavior theory by Berkman and Gilson (1986), this study examined the relationships between tourists' use of the Internet vs. other information sources and their characteristics. It was found that demographic characteristics of gender and household income and situational factors of trip purpose and travel party type were significantly related to tourists' choices of information sources; and such behavior was associated with their trip outcomes of accommodation types and expenditure. The study's implications were discussed in the context of destination marketing.     

Tradeshow Managers

ABSTRACT

Technology adoption in the tourism industry has been widely reported. Tradeshows, which play a vital part in the tourism economy, have not been investigated to the same extent. This study focuses on tradeshow managers' use of technology, particularly the Internet. Using Rogers' Innovation-Diffusion Theory model, the present research queried the managers of the Tradeshow 200 (the 200 largest tradeshows in the United States) to assess their feelings about technology innovations. Tradeshow managers were also asked about Time Poverty Issues as identified by Forsythe and Bailey. Technology usage has become infused into the jobs of show managers. At the same time, correlations between technology adoption and feelings of time poverty were discovered.     

Classifying technological innovation attributes for hotels: an application of the Kano model

ABSTRACT

Technological facilities and services have become attractive features in hotel selection. However, limited research has been conducted on how technological innovation attributes are perceived by hotel tourists. This paper aims to highlight and categorize the technological innovation attributes of hotels based on the Kano model. Empirical testing shows four technological innovation factors: Internet and app usage, smartphone usage as a room key and for payment, E-housekeeping, and the use of electronic self-service systems. Findings provide practical implications for hotel operators planning to introduce technologies into their hotels.     

External Information Search Behavior of Visitors to Turkey

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of information search behavior of travelers from 36 countries to Turkey. The data used in this study were obtained from a larger research project which was carried out by Ministry of Tourism and Culture and State Statistics Association of Turkey in 2001. The study revealed seven dimensions of external information sources as a part of search behavior of visitors such as “friends and relatives,” “trade exhibition,” “promotion offices,” “media,” “tourism entities,” “others” (Internet, catalog and in-flight information) and “outside of the above sources.” The data were analyzed by two different techniques. First, a series of Chi-square tests were conducted to examine the information sources of visitors arriving in Turkey. Second, Correspondence Analysis (CA) was utilized to identify the differences in the information sources of visitors. Six external information sources were examined in the study.     

Technology by Degrees

Abstract

This paper examines the implications of teaching a “stand alone” information technology unit to undergraduate students in a Bachelor of Business in Tourism degree program. The subject (unit) is an elective unit and is offered in the students' second and third years of study. While the debate rages as to the perspicacity of teaching technology as an independent unit, rather than incorporating technology theory and practice into other subjects as necessary, we have made the decision to run such a unit in the independent form. The subject has only recently been adopted and 2000 was its second year of offering. Curriculum was created through liaison and discussion between several staff at the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management in an attempt to link topics and themes to other subjects across the degree program. The case study explores issues relating to curriculum, extent to which the Internet is used within the subject, as well as staff and student perceptions of the course. Outcomes from evaluation and feedback suggest that Internet-as-resource rather than Internet-as-core provides the most flexible and student-centered learning approach. Students found the unit useful in terms of prospective employment and in broadening their general knowledge of technology in tourism and hospitality.     

Tourism Education and the Internet

Abstract

Using the Internet in the teaching and learning environment assists tourism students in achieving two criteria increasingly being expected by employers. These are an understanding of the applications of the Internet to the industry, and a set of operational Internet skills.

In this paper the benefits and challenges of integrating the Internet into the teaching and learning environment are discussed. In addition, the results of a small-scale survey of tourism academics are reported.     

Restaurant Management and Operations

Abstract

Virtual enterprise (VE) is an inter-disciplinary business simulation, where students use technology to trade products and services through a global e-commerce network of more than 3,000 firms. VE CAANESA International Restaurant utilizes the Internet as a major part of the daily enterprise operations. This inner city community of students worked in an on-campus office environment as managers of different departments, using a web-based instructional platform. The paper is an empirical study, demonstrating the course design, development and dissemination of information using regular classroom instruction in business and marketing techniques, as well as the Internet accessed instructional program. The course information could be accessed at any time day or night. The usage information is detailed within. The shift in the comfort level of the students in various skills was measured at the beginning and end of the semester when the students took a self-evaluative skills inventory assessment survey. The survey measured their competency; their ratings are included.     

Assessing the Use of Internet Surveys in the Context of Advertisement Tracking Studies: A Case Study of Tourism Yukon's Winter Promotion Campaign

Abstract

As interest in the varying applications of Internet technology has expanded in recent years, so have discussions concerning the relative merits of this medium as a credible means for conducting market survey research. Proponents of this form of on-line surveying claim that as the Internet becomes more universally accepted as a means of communication, its utility for survey purposes will be largely related to its ability to conduct some forms of research faster, better, and more conclusively than other more traditional methods of interviewing. Other supporters highlight the approach's potential research advantages with respect to gaining access to especially difficult-to-find populations, its cost effectiveness from a data collection perspective, and its speed of interaction with respondent populations. Conversely, other researchers express more cautionary perspectives and emphasize that Internet survey methods tend to suffer many of the same shortcomings as those associated with more traditional survey methods: inappropriateness for communication with specific audiences, control over sample representativeness, “self-selection” biases and response turn-around time. As with other emerging market survey research tools, there is a need to systematically explore the strengths and weaknesses of these perspectives in the context of specific research situations. This research examines issues of sample representativeness, “self selection” or non-response bias, and appropriateness of the survey techniques in the context of advertising tracking research. It does this by comparing the socio-economic and behavioral traits of Internet and traditional (telephone and mail) survey respondents participating in a tourism advertisement tracking study in Canada.     

Augmented Reality Smart Glasses (ARSG) visitor adoption in cultural tourism

ABSTRACT

A number of organizations in cultural tourism have started to explore the use of augmented reality (AR) to enhance visitor experience. While many studies have been conducted to identify adoption criteria of mobile AR applications, research exploring the adoption of augmented reality smart glasses (ARSG) is still limited. This paper contributes to the technology adoption literature by investigating attributes of visitor adoption of ARSG in cultural tourism. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with visitors to a UK art gallery, where they experienced an ARSG application. Findings inform an ARSG adoption framework that integrates societal impact, perceived benefits, perceived attributes of innovation, and visitor resistance as the main themes of ARSG adoption in cultural tourism.     

The mediating effect of work–family conflict in the relationship between job stress and intent to stay: The case of tourism and hospitality workers in Macau

ABSTRACT

This study explores the mediating effect of work–family conflict in the relationship between job stress and intent to stay. The study revealed that once the intervention took place, employees' job stress has ceased to exert direct influence on their turnover intention. This signifies that work–family conflict is the underlying cause which discourages stressful employees to remain with their employer. The study was conducted in Macau to a group of tourism workers by means of street intercept survey.     

Technology

Abstract

The presence of technology in the hospitality industry is increasing at a rapid rate. Technology has had an effect on the efficiency of many facets of the hospitality industry. Despite the growing number of meetings, conventions, and conferences, there has not been a published needs assessment study of training needs-especially technology needs-of hospitality sales managers. This paper presents the results of the first part of a study that examined technology training needs for hospitality sales managers and meeting planners. The top three technology skills training needs that surfaced in the 1996 study included advertising/marketing on the Internet, developing request for proposals, and meeting planning/sales management systems.     

Meeting Planners' Use of the Internet to Plan Group Meetings

Abstract

Despite the fact that hospitality web sites are proliferating and opportunities to complete sales transactions via the Internet increase daily, no research exists on meeting planners' use of the Internet to plan group meetings. Guided by Hoffman and Novak's (1994) Model of Planned Behavior this study focused on determining what variables are related to a meeting planners' intent to use and current use of the Internet to plan group meetings. Three hundred sixty-two planners of the Chicago Chapter of Meeting Professionals International were surveyed via a faxed instrument. Planners' attitudes, beliefs about norms, and perceived behavioral control were found to be significantly related to their usage of the Internet. Additionally, results confirmed that meeting planners view the Internet as having positive qualities and benefits in planning group meetings and that it is a cost effective planning tool.     

Modelling E-Marketing Strategies: Internet Presence and Exploitation of Greek Hotels

Abstract

Despite the wide use of the Internet in the tourism industry and the exponential growth of e-commerce, little is still known on how the new medium is transforming marketing practices and concepts. The purpose of this empirical study is to fill in this gap. Specifically, the study first analyses Internet's capabilities as well as the Virtual Marketspace and the marketing transformations that the Internet is creating. After reviewing models and strategies for Internet marketing, an e-marketing mix is proposed that exploits Internet capabilities. The latter is used in order to investigate and provide suggestions on the development of Internet strategies of hotels in Greece.     

Effectiveness of the hotel websites in Singapore: A perspective from Business‐to‐Business (B2B) organisations

Internet marketing in hotels allows potential users to learn about the hotels, to tour hotel facilities and to compare prices among other benefits without directly interacting with a hotel representative. For some users, Internet is the first and only channel consulted when booking hotel accommodations. In the present age, Internet is increasingly becoming both an opportunity and a challenge for hotel marketers. The opportunity lies in reaching users directly through Internet sites. The challenge is to get the guests’ attention long enough to tell the marketers’ story (Connolly, Olsen and Moore, 1998). It has always been controversial as to how effective Internet marketing can be. Both firms and researchers have indicated that the measuring of effectiveness of Internet marketing is a multidimensional question. This study sought to examine the effectiveness of business‐to‐business Internet marketing in the hotel industry in Singapore through analysing the differences between the travel agents expectations of service and hotels’ understanding of those expectations. A total of 66 hotel websites in Singapore were scanned to give the features analysis. On the basis of the perception scores of 112 inbound travel agents, the study identified the gaps between the users and the website provider (hotel industry).