Relationship between customer sentiment and online customer ratings for hotels - An empirical analysis

This study aims to establish a relationship between customer sentiments in online reviews and customer ratings for hotels. Customer sentiment refers to the emotions expressed by customers through the text reviews. These sentiments can be positive, negative or neutral. The study explores customer sentiments and expresses them in terms of customer sentiment polarity. Our results find consistency between customer ratings and actual customer feelings across hotels belonging to the two categories of premium and budget. Customer sentiment polarity explains significant variation in customer ratings across both the hotel categories. With regard to managerial implications, the study finds that, when compared with premium hotels, managers of budget hotels should improve their staff performance and hotel services. The present study is not exhaustive and other factors like customer review length and review title sentiment can be analyzed for their effects on customer ratings.     

Essential customer service factors and the segmentation of older visitors within wellness tourism based on hot springs hotels

Tourism-related industries have emphasized the wellness tourism market when numerous countries now face an aging population. Many studies have indicated that strong customer service increases competitive advantage. However, customer service-related research from the perspectives of customers and operators is rare. This study adopted a two-phase approach to incorporate the perspectives of older adults and operators in wellness tourism into the service factors. We extracted service factors from face-to-face interviews with senior managers and experienced consultants of the hot springs hotel industry conducted in Phase 1. During Phase 2, we interviewed older adults at hot springs, and performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the reliability and validity of customer service factors. The results highlighted the following seven customer service factors: “health promotion treatments,” “mental learning,” “experience of unique tourism resources,” “complementary therapies,” “relaxation,” “healthy diet,” and “social activities.” According to these service factors, the older adults interviewed were divided into a holistic group, physiocare group, and leisure and recreation group using cluster analysis. Finally, we propose socio-demographic variables for describing the specific characteristics of the three clusters identified.     

Influence of environmental stimuli on hotel customer emotional loyalty response: Testing the moderating effect of the big five personality factors

The aim of this research was to test the moderation effects of the Big Five Factors (BFF) of personality on hotel ambience-guests’ consumption emotions–loyalty relationship. This was an attempt to extend the Stimuli–Organism–Response (S–O–R) that has been widely used in consumer studies without integrating personality factors that may exert effects on the relationships. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to hotel guests; 563 responses were used in data analysis. The results of the structural model affirm the effect of hotel ambience on guests’ consumption emotions, with those emotions having significant effects on loyalty. Among the personality factors, extraversion, openness to experience and agreeableness significantly moderated the relationships, with groups scoring high in traits having stronger relationships than those lower in traits. Overall, the study supports the extension of the S-O-R with the inclusion of personality. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Analysis and benchmarking of greenhouse gas emissions of luxury hotels

Hotels are one of the most energy intensive building types due to their multi-usage functions and round the clock operations. We investigated the energy consumption of 58 Taiwanese luxury hotels for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and methane (CH₄). The average yearly GHG emission density of the investigated hotels is 132 kg-CO₂e/m². The results show an expected 29 kg of equivalent carbon dioxide emission (CO₂e) for each accommodated guest/night, or 50 kg-CO₂e generated for each room/night sold. A multiple regression model was established to normalize the GHG emission intensity, which includes GHG emissions potential variables and a benchmark model, plotted as a cumulative percentile distribution, in which hotels can rank their GHG emissions intensity. By comparing hotel GHG emission performances, hotel managers can determine if and where improvements should be implemented.     

Determinants of sustainable behavior of firms and the consequences for customer satisfaction in hospitality

The literature on determinants of firm sustainable behavior and its effects on firm performance is rich. However, there are still important questions that lack definitive conclusions. One revolves around factors mediating the link between organizational determinants and firm sustainable behavior, which may still be regarded as a black box. Another stresses the impact of sustainable behavior on customer satisfaction. Using a sample of survey data from 974 small and medium-sized German hotels and 62,766 independent reviews, this paper examines the links between innovativeness, managers’ sustainability attitudes and firm sustainable behavior while taking into account perceived advantages of sustainable behavior as a mediator. Furthermore, the relationship between sustainable behavior and customer satisfaction is examined. A model is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The results confirm innovativeness and sustainability attitudes as determinants of sustainable behavior and perceived advantage as a mediator. Sustainable behavior shows a positive relation to customer satisfaction.     

A comparison of competing theoretical models for understanding acceptance behavior of information systems in upscale hotels

This study investigated which intention-based model, namely: (1) the technology acceptance model (TAM; Model 1); (2) the theory of planned behavior (TPB; Model 2); and (3) the decomposed TPB (DTPB; Model 3) is best for predicting and explaining employees’ behavioral intention to use hotel information system (HIS). Data were obtained from employees of 13 upscale hotels in Jeju, South Korea, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine and compare the three competing theoretical models (CTMs) in terms of overall model fit, explanatory power, and paths significance. The findings of this study revealed that if the key objective is to predict behavioral intention to use HIS, the TAM is preferable. However, if the key objective is to explain behavioral intention to use HIS, the DTPB is preferable.     

Linking employee attitudes and behaviors with business performance: A comparative analysis of hotels in Mexico and China

Organizations have been studied extensively through the lenses of employee attitudes and behaviors, yet links with organizational performance have not often been considered. This research uses established measures of commitment, job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) to analyze data obtained from workers in a multinational hotel chain operating in Mexico and China. Mexico and China are selected due to their importance as emerging global markets. Quantitative analysis shows significantly different levels of commitment, job satisfaction and OCB in line with low and high performance in these national hotel groups. The research finds that commitment, job satisfaction and OCB are associated significantly with financial performance, but not with guest satisfaction.     

The impact of hotel CSR for strategic philanthropy on booking behavior and hotel performance during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some hotels have engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to help overcome the crisis. Given that most existing research examines the impact of hotel CSR on a single stakeholder, how hotel CSR activities in a crisis are perceived by multiple stakeholders is unknown. Drawing on the concept of strategic philanthropy, this study examines the impact of hotel CSR activities during the pandemic, such as providing accommodations to healthcare workers, on hotel firms' market value and prospective hotel customers’ booking behavior. Adopting mixed-methods approach, this study finds negative impacts of hotel CSR for strategic philanthropy on firm market value and customer booking behavior. The study result indicates that the value of hotel CSR depends on the nature and environmental contexts of CSR. Specific theoretical and practical implications are provided.     

A casino-induced satisfaction of needs: scale development and its relationship with casino customer loyalty

Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, this study develops a five-factor casino-induced satisfaction-of-needs scale and examines its relationship with casino customer loyalty using Macau as a study context. The findings show that the respondents’ most visited casinos had only marginally met the respondents’ various inner needs; there is still ample room for Macau casinos to improve the level of their customers’ satisfaction regarding customers’ inner needs. Among the five types of inner needs, self-actualization appears to be one need that requires more attention than the others because it was rated as the need that was the least satisfied but contributed the second most to measuring satisfaction. Additionally, Macau casinos should continue their efforts to improve and maintain a safe and secure casino environment, coupled with providing a variety of quality foods and beverages, for their customers. Lastly, safety and security, self-actualization and physiological needs were found to positively affect casino customer loyalty.     

Managing customer citizenship behaviour: The moderating roles of employee responsiveness and organizational reassurance

This study examines the influence of employee responsiveness and organizational reassurance towards customer citizenship behaviour (CCB) on building guest satisfaction, loyalty, and perceived value. The study considers insights from concepts in psychology including attachment theory, self-congruity theory, affect infusion model, and social exchange theory which are relevant to the problematics of CCB. The scenario-based experimental design used in this study focuses on one aspect of CCB identified in extant literature: the policing of other customers. In a hospitality context, guests voluntarily participate in safeguarding an organization's quality when they identify areas that may be impacted by opportunistic behaviours of fellow guests. This context is highly relevant in hospitality and tourism settings where the behaviour of one individual may directly impact the experience of another given the co-creation of experience in a shared environment. Both employee responsiveness and organizational reassurance were found to significantly moderate guest satisfaction, loyalty and perceived value.     

The bright side of work-related deviant behavior for hotel employees themselves: Impacts on recovery level and work engagement

This study examines the immediate positive benefits of work-related deviant behavior on hotel employees’ recovery level and work engagement leveraging conservation of resources (COR) theory as an overarching framework. Using a two-wave daily diary approach, data from 74 hotel employees over 10 consecutive workdays were collected to examine potential immediate benign effects of work-related deviant behavior and whether moral identity can intensify or mitigate the positive consequences of this behavior. Findings suggest that work-related deviant behavior exerts an immediate positive influence on recovery level. Moreover, conducting work-related deviant behavior has a positive indirect effect on work engagement via recovery level. Additionally, the observed effects are moderated by moral identity, such that these effects become stronger among employees with low (vs. high) moral identity. We further interviewed 17 hotel employees to supplement our quantitative results. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed.     

The characteristics of hotel websites and their implications for website effectiveness

Hotels are increasingly taking advantage of the Internet as a marketing tool able to provide direct contact with customers, but is the full potential of this tool being exploited? This article constructs and validates an instrument for the measurement of website characteristics and relates those characteristics to website performance, using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that small and medium size hotels in the Balearic Islands in Spain, a developed tourist destination, and in the South of Brazil, a developing destination, are using their websites as mass media tools; ignoring the potential for interactivity and one-to-one communication. It is suggested that hoteliers should adopt a more strategic approach to the Internet, preparing the ground for direct contact with customers.     

Exploring the visitors' decision-making process for Airbnb and hotel accommodations using value-attitude-behavior and theory of planned behavior

Accommodation purchase decision is a complex field that makes predictions of revisit intentions hard to examine. Our work explores psychological factors motivating visitors' decision-making concerning accommodation purchases by integrating the theory of planned behavior and value-attitude-behavior model. Using a group of multiple informants in Swiss universities, we performed partial least squares structural equation modeling to assess the impacts of subjective norm, attitude and perception of quality on visitors' revisit intention and loyalty in Airbnb and hotel contexts. Although the influence of said factors on purchase decisions varies in the two contexts, results suggest that subjective norm has an indispensable role in prompting revisit intention towards Airbnb and hotel accommodations. This paper's findings advance our understanding of visitors' decision-making processes concerning traditional hotels and accommodation establishments operating in sharing economy platforms.     

Macro and non-macro explanatory factors of Chinese hotel stock returns

This study investigates the link between macro and non-macro explanatory factors and Chinese hotel stock returns. Macro variables include growth rates of industrial production and imports, discount rates, yield spread and inflation rate. In addition, growth rate of total foreign tourist arrivals (ΔTA) was introduced as another critical macro factor that may affect Chinese hotel stock returns, considering a tremendous growth of tourism in China. Empirical results indicated that the impact of ΔTA was positive, but insignificant. Thus, Chinese hotel stock returns were more sensitive to general macro variables. Non-macro events that could significantly impact Chinese hotel stock returns encompass financial crises, natural disasters, wars, terrorist attacks, political events, and sports mega-events. Discussions and conclusions are provided to guide hospitality investors.     

A balanced scorecard approach to establish a performance evaluation and relationship model for hot spring hotels based on a hybrid MCDM model combining DEMATEL and ANP

The balanced scorecard approach is an effective technique for performance evaluation. For more accurately reflecting the dependence and feedback problems of each factor in real world situations, here a new model is developed using a balanced scorecard approach for evaluating the performance of hot spring hotel. A DANP hybrid MCDM model is adopted to solve the dependence and feedback problems, while establishing a performance evaluation and relationship model. An empirical case study is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid MCDM model. Based on this study, the perspective between ‘learning and growth’, ‘enterprise's internal processes’, and ‘customer’, all aim for solid financial performance as the ultimate goal, and report a positive influence. This effective performance evaluation model developed by applying the hybrid MCDM enables business managers to understand the appropriate actions and achieve a competitive advantage.     

Environmental consciousness and green customer behavior: An examination of motivation crowding effect

The motivation crowding effect suggests that external money intervention weakens intrinsic motivation. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the motivation crowding effect occurs during the process where consumers try to be environmentally friendly. Thus, this study will first investigate the effect of environmental protection consciousness on green customer behavior, and then investigate the effect that incentive mechanisms have on environmental protection consciousness and green customer behavior. 458 hotel guests are used as research subjects. The results show that environmental protection consciousness positively affects green consumer behavior. Cash discount incentives have no effect on the choice of hotel guests to reuse their bed sheet or towels; on the contrary, environmental protective alternatives are great incentives for hotel guests to maintain environmentally friendly behavior. Regarding the demographics of hotels guests, female and younger guests are more inclined to be environmentally friendly. The contribution of this paper is proof of the existence of motivation crowding through an empirical analysis of hotel guests, which enlightens the hospitality industry on how to introduce environmentally friendly strategies in order to respond to motivation crowding.     

Aspects of service-dominant logic and its implications for tourism management: Examples from the hotel industry

This paper introduces the concept of service-dominant logic as a research paradigm in marketing management. It does so in the context of tourism management’s need to engage with wider debates within the mainstream management literature. Moreover it demonstrates the importance of service-dominant logic in uncovering the role played by co-production and co-creation in the tourism industry. These ideas are developed in detail through a case study of the UK hotel industry that draws on new empirical research undertaken by the authors.     

Understanding customer behavior in name-brand Korean coffee shops: The role of self-congruity and functional congruity

During the past decade, an increasing number of coffee-shop customers in Korea prefer to patronize name-brand coffee shops. This study applied image congruity theory to explain the Korean preference phenomena. The authors investigated the impacts of image congruities (self-congruity and functional congruity) on customer attitude and repurchase intention, and identified the moderating effect of prior visit experience. The survey sample is 401 customers who visited the 13 name-brand coffee shops in the city of Seoul's Myeong-dong commercial district. Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the validity of the conceptual model. The results revealed that both self-congruity and functional congruity are the antecedents of customer attitude and repurchase intention. Furthermore, functional congruity has more impact on customer attitude among experienced customers than among those with less visit experience. The marketers of name-brand coffee shops in Korea are advised to design the strategies of brand positioning and marketing segmentation from a new angle. Further studies can be further conducted among customers in boarder geographical areas, including small cities and rural areas in Korea.