The influence of website quality dimensions on e-purchasing behaviour and e-loyalty: a comparative study of Egyptian travel agents and hotels

Websites have become a channel for tourism enterprises to market and sell their services online. These enterprises are committed to improving their online services to retain customers and improving their competitiveness. This study aims to measure the effect of website quality dimensions on customer purchasing behaviour, and how this behaviour affects customer electronic (e)-loyalty. It compares the perceptions of 275 customers of travel agencies and 355 hotels using structural equation modelling. Findings revealed that website quality dimensions significantly affect the customer purchasing behaviour. The study highlighted the dimensions with a negative effect to help managers improve their website quality.     

The role of contingent self-esteem and trust in consumer satisfaction: Examining perceived control and fairness as predictors

The paper proposes contingent self-esteem (CSE) as an important mediator between service encounter attributes and consumers’ satisfaction. The main thesis is that consumers’ perceptions of control and fairness in the exchange influence their CSE and trust evaluations which in turn effect their satisfaction evaluations. The study expands and clarifies our understanding of the psychological processes that guide consumers’ satisfaction evaluations. The paper employed a 2 × 2 repeated measures experiment to collect data. The experimental manipulations were induced using video clips and the data were analyzed using a repeated measures MANOVA procedure. Results indicate that consumers’ CSE and trust evaluations depend on their perceptions of fairness and control of the exchange. Furthermore, CSE and trust influence consumers’ satisfaction evaluations and behavioral intentions. The results of this research suggest that service providers should consider designing service interactions that affirm consumers’ self-image and thereby improves satisfaction evaluations.     

Connecting with prospective medical tourists online: A cross-sectional analysis of private hospital websites promoting medical tourism in India,Malaysia and Thailand

Websites of private hospitals promoting medical tourism are important marketing channels for showcasing and promoting destinations' medical facilities and their array of staff expertise, services, treatments and equipment to domestic and foreign patient-consumers alike. This study examines the websites of private hospitals promoting medical tourism in three competing Asian countries (India, Malaysia and Thailand) in order to look at how these hospitals present themselves online and seek to appeal to the perceived needs of (prospective) medical tourists. The content and format of 51 hospitals are analyzed across five dimensions: hospital information and facilities, admission and medical services, interactive online services, external activities, and technical items. Results show differences between Indian, Malaysian and Thai hospital websites, pointing to the need for hospital managers to improve their hospitals’ online presence and interactivity.     

Please,talk about it! When hotel popularity boosts preferences

Many consumers post on-line reviews, affecting the average evaluation of products and services. Yet, little is known about the importance of the number of reviews for consumer decision making. We conducted an on-line experiment (n = 168) to assess the joint impact of the average evaluation, a measure of quality, and the number of reviews, a measure of popularity, on hotel preference. The results show that consumers’ preference increases with the number of reviews, independently of the average evaluation being high or low. This is not what one would expect from an informational point of view, and review websites fail to take this pattern into account. This novel result is mediated by demographics: young people, and in particular young males, are less affected by popularity, relying more on quality. We suggest the adoption of appropriate ranking mechanisms to fit consumer preferences.     

携程旅行网春秋国旅网e龙旅行网内容交付性研究

旅行电子商务网站成功的关键因素之一是能否提供满足消费者需求的内容,基于瑞奇曼（Rachman）和布奇南（Buchanan）的研究方法,对国内三个著名旅行网站的内容交付性进行了研究,讨论了我国旅行电子商务网站在内容建设方面存在的问题以及改进的方法。     

Virtual wine tours and wine tasting: The influence of offline and online embodiment integration on wine purchase decisions

Applying the theory of embodied cognition as the research framework, the purpose of the current study was to explore the influence of virtual wine tours on young consumers' wine sensory experience and purchasing behaviors. A lab tasting experiment was conducted to compare the influence of a VR video with that of a traditional video featuring a vineyard and winery tour. Results indicated that the VR wine tour video evoked higher intentions to purchase and willingness to pay than the traditional video. Consumers with higher levels of wine knowledge appreciated the video presence and the tastes/aromas of the wine more than consumers with lower levels of wine knowledge. Combined with the taste/finish of the wine, video presence mediated the relationships between video types and consumers' purchase behaviors, revealing that the integration of offline and online embodiments makes a difference in consumers’ purchasing decisions. Recommendations were then provided based on these results.     

Cultural capital and online purchase of tourism services

Based on an original conceptual framework that links cultural capital and pro-active behaviors, this paper investigates whether individuals' cultural capital increases the probability of purchasing tourism services through the Internet.The identification of possible direct channels through which tourism firms can address and attract consumers is particularly relevant for an industry in which re-intermediation processes by big online travel agencies have partly dampened the benefits of disintermediation along the supply chain.Through a Heckman-corrected probit run on year 2016 microdata referred to the Italian population, evidence is found that the cultural participation is associated to individuals' higher probability to purchase tourism services online. This adds some new dimensions to the understanding of factors that have a bearing on online purchasing.     

Influence of sustainable hospitality supply chain management on customers’ attitudes and behaviors

This study aims to identify the impact of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable hospitality supply chain management actions on customers’ attitudes and behaviors including satisfaction, loyalty and willingness to pay a premium for sustainable hospitality goods and services utilizing data collected from U.S. consumers who frequently stay at hotels. Findings suggest that while both environmental and economic dimensions’ actions of sustainable hospitality supply chain management have positive influences on customer satisfaction, loyalty and willingness to pay a premium for sustainable hospitality goods and services, the social dimension actions are found to have a positive influence on customer satisfaction and a negative influence on customer willingness to pay a premium. Results also indicate that customer satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between social dimension actions and customer loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction positively influences customer loyalty, which ultimately increases customer willingness to pay a premium. The implications of the research findings are provided.     

Exploring Bed & Breakfast Websites

SUMMARY

This exploratory study was designed to evaluate the Websites of Bed & Breakfast(s) (B&B) belonging to the Indiana B&B Association (IBBA). Using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach, four evaluation perspectives were considered: (1) user friendliness, (2) site attractiveness, (3) marketing effectiveness, and (4) technical aspects. A team of trained evaluators rated a random sample of 20 IBBA property Websites. The study found that the major strength of the B&B Websites evaluated was their attractiveness, but improvements were needed in all four categories. The B&B modified BSC instrument used in this research also showed good inter-rater reliability.     

Authenticity perceptions,brand equity and brand choice intention: The case of ethnic restaurants

This study examines the relationships between consumers’ authenticity perception and four brand equity dimensions (brand awareness, brand association, perceived quality, brand loyalty), as well as how these four dimensions are interrelated with one another. This study also examines the impact of brand equity on consumers’ brand choice intention for ethnic restaurants. Findings clearly indicate that consumers’ authenticity perception is a critical determinant of brand equity and brand equity has a significant impact on consumers’ brand choice intention. Findings of the present study would provide managers with a better understanding of the important role authenticity plays in ethnic restaurants’ brand equity. Managerial implications for better brand equity management are provided.     

Effects of brand personality dimensions on consumers’ perceived self-image congruity and functional congruity with hotel brands

Brand personality plays a key role in consumer brand psychology, but researchers and practitioners lack an adequate understanding of the efficacy of individual brand personality dimensions. Drawing on the theory of self-congruity and an analysis of eight U.S. hotel brands, this study revealed the varying roles that brand personality plays in driving brand choice: in particular, consumers tend to express their self-images through the brand personality dimensions known as Excitement and Sincerity, while relying on Sincerity and Competence to evaluate how consistent a hotel's functions are with their own preferences. The study also indicates that business travelers are more likely than leisure travelers to value functional congruity, while self-image congruity is more important to leisure than business travelers. The paper offers hotel practitioners a better understanding of the personality dimensions they should position or strengthen for their hotel brands to deliver to customers based on each dimension's utility.     

Service Quality and Customers' Willingness to Pay More for Travel Services

Abstract

Increasingly sophisticated and price conscious consumers have combined with forces of globalisation and electronic commerce to create new challenges for travel agents. To maintain efficiency and profitability, travel agents need to know the links between service quality and customers' willingness to pay more (WTPM). These links are explored through measuring customer perceptions (N = 122) of service quality, loyalty and WTPM. The results revealed firstly that while many consumers were able to pay more for travel services, fewer were willing to do so. Secondly, overall service quality and its underlying dimensions were positively associated with selected WTPM items. These findings support and extend previous studies on the service quality-behavioural intentions link and provide practical implications for the travel industry in relation to a differentiated price and service strategy.     

Tourists and retailers' perceptions of services

This paper describes a study which measures tourist and retailers' perceptions of service levels in a tourism destination. A service quality model was used to develop survey items and interpret the results. The service dimensions used to evaluate a tourism experience included reliability, responsive, assurance, and access. The results indicate tourists evaluate tourism services based on “who” delivers as opposed to the nature of the services (as outlined in the Service Quality model). This has implications for those who create and service tourism destinations, such as city planners and leaders, tourism convention and visitor bureaus, and retailers.     

Good discounts earn good reviews in return? Effects of price promotion on online restaurant reviews

Online consumer reviews (OCRs) are valuable to consumers and sellers. Online price promotion is commonly used by local merchants to increase sales. However, knowledge of the differences in OCRs between consumers who received a discount and regular consumers is limited. This study investigates the effects of price discounts on restaurant OCRs by comparing the review rating and open-ended contents of OCRs from consumers who received a discount and regular consumers. The results show that the review rating is higher from consumers who received a discount, whereas the word count, image count, and diversity of review contents are higher from regular consumers. Regular consumers are more likely to mention product quality, environmental quality, service quality, geographic location, purchasing process, recommendation expression, and loyalty expression in OCRs, and there is no significant difference in the dimensions of price, cognitive attitude, and emotional attitude between the two groups.     

Staying with the ingroup or outgroup? A cross-country examination of international travelers’ home-sharing preferences

This paper examines the joint effect of host’s cultural identity (i.e., ingroup vs. outgroup), presence of a travel companion, and consumer’s country of origin on international travelers’ evaluations of home-sharing services. A quasi-experimental design was implemented to collect data from U.S. and Chinese consumers. Results indicate a significant three-way interaction: In a culturally different destination, Chinese consumers prefer home-sharing services provided by ingroup hosts whether traveling alone or with a companion, whereas American consumers only show ingroup preference if they travel alone; when traveling internationally with a travel companion, American consumers prefer home-sharing services provided by an outgroup host. Further, psychological closeness and perceived experience authenticity are found to be the mediators underlying international travelers’ home-sharing preferences. Findings of this study offer new insights to the research and management of sharing economy.     

The role of frequency of patronage and service quality of all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant: A perspective of socio-economic and demographic characteristics of African American consumers

While the sub-cultural group of African American consumers form a large and growing market segment, relatively little study has been done on their attitude and consumption behavior toward the ever popular all-you-can-eat Buffet restaurants. Paper examines the frequency of patronizing all-you-can-eat Buffet restaurants by the African Americans, the criteria that they use to evaluate service quality in those restaurants, as well as, socio-economic and demographic factors that determine their frequency of patronage and service quality evaluation. Results show that “freshness,” “hygiene,” “variety and reliability,” and “value,” are the top four dimensions of service quality most important to this group of consumers. Gender, age, income, and marital status were found to influence their patronage frequency, as well as their service quality evaluation. Managerial implications of findings for targeting and promotional strategies are discussed.     

Does getting along matter? Tourist-tourist rapport in guided group activities

Guided group activities, where tourists consume with other tourists, are common and important. Although the tourism and services literature suggests customer-employee rapport impacts customer satisfaction, the composition and impact of tourist-tourist rapport in guided group activities have received minimal attention. We use a three-study mixed method approach to conceptualize and examine tourist-tourist rapport in guided group activities. Study 1 identifies two recognized dyadic dimensions of tourist-tourist rapport (enjoyable interaction and personal connection) and two new group-based dimensions (group attentiveness and service congruity). Study 2 (video experiment) and Study 3 (field experiment) find that enjoyable interaction and personal connection mediate the relationship between group attentiveness and service congruity with satisfaction. Thus, tourist-tourist rapport in a group context is more multidimensional and complex than previously conceptualized for customer-employee rapport and non-group contexts. Further, we find tourist-tourist rapport is a critical service factor such that high levels satisfy, while low levels dissatisfy.     

The effect of COVID-19 on tourists’ intention to resume hotel consumption: The role of resilience

This study aims to better understand how one particular personal capacity—psychological resilience—may help consumers adapt to the ‘new normal’ provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic in the hotel context, which is characterized by high uncertainty. We conducted a quantitative empirical study among consumers of hotel services, which showed that their psychological resilience has a negative effect on their perceived health risk and emotional risk. This negative effect on risk helps increase tourist intention to return to consuming hotel services despite the on-going pandemic. The findings are of value to the literature and the professional sector alike, as they demonstrate both relationships jointly for the first time. The work can help hotel firms to design more effective strategies for approaching customers in the ‘new normal’.     

STHRSCAPE: Developing and validating a collaborative economy based short-term hospitality rental servicescape scale

This study develops a culture-specific servicescape measurement scale for collaborative economy based short-term hospitality rentals (STHRs) from a Chinese customer perspective, as some of the servicescape measures developed from a Western consumer perspective may not be applicable to Chinese consumers due to cultural differences. Dimensions of the servicescape of collaborative economy based STHRs (STHRSCAPE) were identified after text analytics of a total of 31,584 reviews for 6313 SHTRs. These dimensions were tested on Chinese STHRs customers using three sets of data. The findings revealed that the STHRSCAPE scale has two main dimensions, namely, the physical servicescape and the social servicescape. The physical servicescape dimension has 12 subdimensions, while the social servicescape dimension has four subdimensions. The STHRSCAPE scale developed in this study is expected to help hosts and marketers on both international and local STHR platforms to better understand the key aspects of physical and social servicescape dimensions that are valued by Chinese consumers.     

How do consumers’ perceptions differ across dimensions of corporate social responsibility and hotel types?

This study develops three hypotheses regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of the hotel industry. First, the study examines a ranking of consumers’ perceived importance of the four CSR dimensions proposed by Carroll’s hierarchy of CSR in 1991, expecting the following orders: philanthropic, ethical, legal, and economic dimensions, from most to least important. Second, the study investigates the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of and their overall support for CSR. Third, the study introduces the type of hotel (for example, economy, mid-scale, and upscale) as a moderator to provide a better explanation of the relationship between consumers’ perceived importance of the CSR dimensions and support for CSR. Contributions to the CSR literature in general, and also specifically relating to the hotel context, and managerial implications are discussed.