Perceptions of Functionality and Usability on Travel Websites: The Case of Chinese Travelers

Despite the large increase in the amount of online purchases of travel-related products in recent years, previous studies on travel website analysis have concentrated mainly on assessing the quality of travel websites, customer purchase behavior, and website content analysis. In the context of Mainland China (hereafter known as China), with growing wealth of her citizens and the inclination to travel, more Chinese travelers have been, and will probably be, visiting worldwide destinations. In addition, many Chinese travelers will use the Internet to search, and subsequently to purchase, travel-related products and services. This study makes an attempt to analyze Chinese online buyers and online browsers on their perceived importance of travel website functionality (content) and usability (design) and their specific factors. Online buyers (e-buyers) are the Internet users who have previously purchased on travel websites, whereas online browsers (e-browsers) are the Internet users who have browsed travel websites but without making any purchases. The research findings showed that e-buyers did not differ significantly from e-browsers in most of the included factors. The findings of this research are expected to assist travel website developers to improve their websites and to attract more e-travelers.     

Assessing the moderating effect of COVID-19 on intention to use smartphones on the tourist shopping journey

This work proposes the first model to examine the moderating effect of the COVID-19 syndemic on the acceptance and use of smartphones during the tourist shopping journey. The model was tested with 1800 tourists, 900 non-COVID-19 (i.e. prior to COVID-19) and 900 during the COVID-19 period. The results showed that: 1) the model has better fit for the COVID-19 period as its explanatory capacity for that stage is greater (R² = 0.773) than for the non-COVID-19 period (R² = 0.691); 2) tourists have increased their intention to use smartphones, especially to make payments for purchases; and 3) there are statistically significant differences in the impact of four of the six model variables (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and arousal). This research advances knowledge of the impact of COVID-19 on the technological behaviour of tourists, has important practical implications, and raises new research questions about the future of tourism.     

Exploring Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) in The Consumer Purchase Decision-Making Process: The Case of Online Holidays – Evidence from United Kingdom (UK) Consumers

This study explores the role of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in the consumer decision-making process when purchasing a holiday. Using an ethnographic approach, it explores the role of eWOM on consumers’ attitudes toward online reviews (eReviews) and their subsequent behavior. Across the consumer decision-making processes – information search, evaluation, and purchase – the study develops a conceptual framework with three eWOM dimensions: (1) motivation, (2) source, and (3) content. Findings explore the variations of eWOM’s influence across the decision-making stages with implications for theory and practice. The study further highlights implications for segmentation practices in the tourism industry.     

The windfall gain effect: Using a surprise discount to stimulate add-on purchases

How can the business maximize revenue while providing discounts? This research suggests that hospitality operators may stimulate add-on purchases with the adoption of surprise discounts. Two experiments investigated factors that influence hospitality consumers’ ancillary spending. Study 1 tested the discount and product type effects on additional spending intentions for a cruise booking. Study 2 identified how the depth of surprise discount and add-on product type influence consumers' add-on purchase decisions for an online hotel booking. The findings indicate that a surprise discount and hedonic items induce consumers' unplanned purchases. A hedonic add-on item is preferred over a utilitarian item when a low discount is offered. Impulse buying mediates the effect of surprise discount and product type on unplanned purchase intentions. This research extends the traditional discount role, by demonstrating that a discount promotion can induce consumers' additional purchases. The findings provide guidance for effective pricing strategies and add-on marketing mix.     

Can multi-source heterogeneous data improve the forecasting performance of tourist arrivals amid COVID-19? Mixed-data sampling approach

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has already caused enormous damage to the global economy and various industries worldwide, especially the tourism industry. In the post-pandemic era, accurate tourism demand recovery forecasting is a vital requirement for a thriving tourism industry. Therefore, this study mainly focuses on forecasting tourist arrivals from mainland China to Hong Kong. A new direction in tourism demand recovery forecasting employs multi-source heterogeneous data comprising economy-related variables, search query data, and online news data to motivate the tourism destination forecasting system. The experimental results confirm that incorporating multi-source heterogeneous data can substantially strengthen the forecasting accuracy. Specifically, mixed data sampling (MIDAS) models with different data frequencies outperformed the benchmark models.     

Influence of the user’s psychological factors on the online purchase intention in rural tourism: Integrating innovativeness to the UTAUT framework

This study explores the process of adoption of new information technologies by the users of rural tourism services and, more concretely, the underlying psychological factors of individuals that explain their intentions to make bookings or reservations directly through the websites of the rural accommodations (online purchase intentions). Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this study establishes a theoretical model that includes five explanatory variables of the online purchase intention: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and innovativeness. The empirical results obtained in a sample of 1083 tourists that had previously visited several websites of rural accommodations suggest that the online purchase intention is positively influenced by: 1) the levels of performance and effort expected with regard to the transaction; and 2) the level of innovativeness of users. In addition, the innovativeness construct has a moderating effect on the relationship between performance expectancy and online purchase intention.     

Understanding user experiences of online travel review websites for hotel booking behaviours: an investigation of a dual motivation theory

Online travel review websites (a form of social media) have become an important information source for online travellers. However, previous studies have mainly focused on the issue of the adoption of social media websites. Recognising the theoretical gap in tourism, this paper tries to understand users’ experiences in using social media, associated with user satisfaction and determining the success of an information system. The findings of this research indicate that, in accordance with the motivation theory, both extrinsic (i.e. the argument quality of consumer reviews) and intrinsic (i.e. the credibility of the source) motivation play important roles that enhance user satisfaction. Specifically, the completeness, relevance, flexibility, and timeliness of the argument quality as well as the trustworthiness of source credibility positively influence user satisfaction, leading to intentions to reuse the website and purchase the tourism product. Practical implications for online tourism marketers are also discussed.     

The impact of website quality on customer satisfaction and purchase intentions: Evidence from Chinese online visitors

With the increasing popularity of online shopping and being the most populated country in the world, China is one of the major online markets now and is likely to become the largest market in the future. In the academic literature, website quality has generally been recognized as a critical step to drive business online. As such, numerous studies have been devoted to website quality and evaluations. Research efforts are, however, in need of understanding the use of websites in regards to online customers’ behavior, especially Chinese customers. This study developed and empirically tested a conceptual model of the impact of website quality on customer satisfaction and purchase intentions. Results indicated that website quality has a direct and positive impact on customer satisfaction, and that customer satisfaction has a direct and positive impact on purchase intentions. While the influence of website quality on purchase intentions exists, customer satisfaction does significantly mediate this effect. Drawing on the empirical findings, managerial implications and recommendations for future research are offered.     

Online Information Search Strategies: A Focus On Flights and Accommodations

The problem of the research was to understand information search strategies that individuals utilized in online travel product purchases. Two products, flights and accommodations, were selected to examine each product's explanatory variables in online purchase behaviors. The results indicate online flight purchasers utilize direct information sources and focus on transactional attributes. Online accommodation purchasers utilize various types of sources; and they focus not only on transactional, but also informational and branding attributes. The study results support the constructive consumer choice processes theory and suggest some marketing tips for the airline and lodging industries.     

Online travel purchasing: A literature review

Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing focus on the development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), as well as the impact that they have had on the tourism industry and on travelers’ behaviors. However, research on what drives consumers to purchase travel online has typically been fragmented. In order to better understand consumers’ behavior toward online travel purchasing, this article offers a review of articles that were published in leading tourism and hospitality journals, the ENTER proceedings, and several articles from other peer-reviewed journals, found on the main academic search databases. The antecedents of online travel shopping found are classified into three main categories: Consumer Characteristics, Perceived Channel Characteristics, and Website and Product Characteristics. Finally, this study identifies several gaps and provides some orientation for future research.     

从民宿到“名宿”——网红民宿红在哪?

“网红民宿”是近年来旅游住宿业在社会生活网络化趋势中诞生的新现象,“名宿”的网红气质有哪些构成要素,其如何影响游客的购买意愿是本文的研究内容。首先基于网络社区“小红书”上关键意见领袖有关网红民宿的笔记,采用扎根理论的研究方法探索民宿构成网红气质的要素,其次是开展了问卷调查,以收集的556份问卷调查数据来验证这些要素对网络口碑和游客购买意愿的影响。研究发现：（1）民宿配置、风格设计、周边环境、直观印象、心理感受和出游形式是民宿构成网红气质的要素;（2）民宿网红气质要素积极影响游客对民宿的购买意愿;（3）“网络口碑”在民宿网红气质要素积极影响游客购买意愿中起完全中介或部分中介作用。研究结果丰富了民宿领域的网络口碑研究相关理论和实践。     

A STUDY OF PERCEIVED RISK AND RISK REDUCTION OF PURCHASING AIR‐TICKETS ONLINE

The concept of perceived risk explains consumers' purchasing behavior that involves risk with unanticipated or uncertain consequences. Using perceived risk theory, this study explored customers' risk perceptions regarding online air‐ticket purchases. This study discovered that security risk was the most important predictor to overall risk regarding online air‐ticket purchases. In addition, nonpurchasers perceived a higher risk than online purchasers, in terms of performance, security, financial, psychological, and time risks. Regarding risk‐reduction strategies, shopping around over the web was more important to online purchasers than to non‐purchasers. In addition, reputation of web vendor, well‐known brand, symbol of security approval, and recommendation of family and friends were perceived as preferred risk‐reduction strategies when making online air‐ticket purchases. Further, this study's results revealed that respondents' perceived risks of online air‐ticket purchases differed according to demographic characteristics. The implications of the research findings for online marketing activities are discussed.     

网络旅游消费者参与心理与行为的实证研究

互联网技术在全球的迅猛发展为网络与旅游的结合提供了重要的基础,并为现代旅游业开启了一个崭新的时代。网络旅游作为一种日益兴盛的现代旅游方式,已经成为旅游业信息化发展的重要表现形式之一,同时也是当今世界旅游业发展的重要方向。因此,了解和分析消费者网络旅游参与的心理和行为对旅游企业的营销和管理也变得越来越关键。然而,现有网络旅游研究主要探讨旅游网络消费者参与行为的特征,对旅游网站特性影响作用、网络旅游消费者参与动机、参与过程和参与心理机制的研究深度还不够。为了揭示现阶段我国旅游网站特性对网络旅游消费者参与心理和最终参与行为的影响作用,该研究在充分总结有关研究的基础上,构建了网络旅游消费者参与心理和行为的概念模型,随后对参与到旅游网站中的397名消费者进行调查分析。研究结果发现:旅游网站的熟悉度和服务规范度会有效影响消费者参与心理的自我决定需求,进而对消费者参与旅游网站的感知卷入和信息搜寻行为产生影响作用。研究结论建议,旅游网站吸引消费者参与的同时需要切实提高企业的品牌知名度和服务规范度,这是进一步提高网络旅游消费者对网站忠诚度的重要基础。     

Forecasting tourism demand with multisource big data

Based on internet big data from multiple sources (i.e., the Baidu search engine and two online review platforms, Ctrip and Qunar), this study forecasts tourist arrivals to Mount Siguniang, China. Key findings of this empirical study indicate that (a) tourism demand forecasting based on internet big data from a search engine and online review platforms can significantly improve forecasting performance; (b) compared with tourism demand forecasting based on single-source data from a search engine, demand forecasting based on multisource big data from a search engine and online review platforms demonstrates better performance; and (c) compared with tourism demand forecasting based on online review data from a single platform, forecasting performance based on multiple platforms is significantly better.     

A meta-analysis of international tourism demand forecasting and implications for practice

Numerous studies on tourism forecasting have now been published over the past five decades. However, no consensus has been reached in terms of which types of forecasting models tend to be more accurate and in which circumstances. This study uses meta-analysis to examine the relationships between the accuracy of different forecasting models, and the data characteristics and study features. By reviewing 65 studies published during the period 1980–2011, the meta-regression analysis shows that the origins of tourists, destination, time period, modeling method, data frequency, number of variables and their measures and sample size all significantly influence the accuracy of forecasting models. This study is the first attempt to pair forecasting models with the data characteristics and the tourism forecasting context. The results provide suggestions for the choice of appropriate forecasting methods in different forecasting settings.     

山地旅游者人格特质如何影响环境负责任行为——以地方依恋与解说满意度为中介变量

旅游者环境负责任行为是可持续旅游目的地管理的重要议题。本文以武夷山国家公园为案例地,尝试将地方依恋和解说满意度作为中介变量,通过对旅游者的问卷调查,分析山地旅游者人格特质对环境负责任行为的影响机制。结果表明：（1）人格特质对环境负责任行为的影响存在3条路径,分别是直接影响、通过地方依恋间接影响和通过地方依恋和解说满意度的链式中介作用影响;（2）旅游体验具身理论视角下,人格特质、地方依恋、解说满意度分别通过身心主体性、情境连接性和感知深度性作用于旅游者环境负责任行为。本研究揭示了山地旅游者人格特质对环境负责任行为的驱动机制,丰富了旅游体验具身理论在环境负责任行为生成机制方面的应用,对山地旅游可持续发展具有一定的启示意义。     

Second-home owners' intention to purchase nature-based tourism activity products – A Norwegian case study

Tourism is acknowledged to be an important business sector in rural areas. This paper argues that second-home owners constitute an important market segment for businesses that offer nature-based tourism activities. Previous research has shown that a number of factors influence tourist behaviour. This study examined how motivation and demographic variables affect second-home owners' intention to purchase three different types of activity products: learning, adventure, and hunting products. We found substantial variations in the purchase intentions for these products among second-home owners. These intentions were influenced by push and pull motivations, age, income and educational level. Second-home owners with a high intention of purchasing nature-based tourism activity products tend to be young, high-income, and socially oriented risk takers. Businesses offering nature-based tourism activity products should use a combination of demographic and psychographic variables when they segment the second-home market.     

Investigating the Process Through which E-Servicescape Creates E-Loyalty in Travel and Tourism Websites

In order to address the lack of systematic research on the process through which e-servicescape creates e-loyalty in an online travel and tourism context, a conceptual model is proposed which examines the potential influence of the e-servicescape of travel and tourism websites. The underlying premise is that, given the demonstrated impact of servicescape on loyalty and outcomes in traditional physical travel and tourism settings, such atmospheric cues are likely to play a role in the online travel and tourism context. An affective–cognitive model is used as the basis of the model which posits that e-servicescape of the online travel and tourism websites, through the intervening effects of experiential–affective and functional–cognitive routes, influence the outcomes of online travel and tourism behaviors in terms of e-loyalty. Visitors’ previous experience with the website is hypothesized to moderate the relationship between e-servicescape and shoppers’ experiential–affective and functional–cognitive reactions. Propositions are derived and the research implications of the model are presented in a travel and tourism context.     

The impact of sold-out information on tourist choice decisions

ABSTRACT

Travelers encounter sold-out situations when purchasing a vacation package during peak season. However, the influence of sold-out information has drawn little attention in tourism research. This study aims to understand the influences of sold-out products on travelers’ purchase intentions and final choices. To fulfill the research objective, 526 samples were collected by the online marketing firm in the United States. Results suggested that presenting information about sold-out products increases purchase intention toward a target product similar to the sold-out product, regardless of prior experience with a destination. Further discussions are provided in the main body of paper.     

Tourism agglomeration and urbanization: empirical evidence from China

Tourism-driven urbanization presents a new way of exploring the construction of a new-type of urbanization. Consequently, the relationship between urbanization and the frequent agglomeration of tourism activities has attracted much research attention in recent years. This paper empirically investigates the influence of tourism agglomeration on urbanization using China’s provincial panel data for years 1999–2012. A panel data model with a fixed effect model and a two-step system generalized method of moments estimation is constructed to explore that influence. Results show that tourism agglomeration positively influences urbanization, and there exists a U-shaped relationship between these two variables. After capturing the dynamic nature of urbanization, we estimate the long-term tourism agglomeration elasticity in China as 0.4566. This paper provides theoretical and practical implications on urbanization of China in view of tourism agglomeration.