Customer’s digital advocacy: impact of reviews and influencers in building trust for tourism and hospitality services

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirti Dutta ◽  
Kirti Sharma ◽  
Terjani Goyal
Keyword(s):  
Online Reviews ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Travel And Tourism ◽  
Information Cues ◽  
Information Number ◽  
Online Strategy ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Tourism Services ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Marketers are focusing on the need for customer advocacy to influence other customers and drive consumption. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether online or digital advocacy influences customer decision-making related to the purchase of travel and tourism services. This paper will also identify the categories of influencers that stimulate purchase for travel and tourism. Influencers do want to know the kind of information customers are looking for. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a primary survey of travelers to understand their degree of dependence on online reviews while making hospitality consumption-related decisions. Findings This paper looks at both influencer marketing and online reviews by consumers to understand consumption toward advocated brand. Influencers who are perceived as unbiased in their viewpoints are trending on social media. Consumers gain trust in reviews that disclose reviewer information, number of relevant reviews are present over a period and presence of both unbiased positive and negative recommendations related to the establishment and prices versus performance. Practical implications Marketers and influencers alike can gain from the factors influencing consumer trust toward online advocacy and reviewed information. Originality/value Research is relevant for all stakeholders as it highlights the fact that consumers are looking at online reviews and one does not have to be a famous personality to influence purchase. It is relevant for influencers, as it highlights reasons for trust and various information cues that consumers are looking for. Research also gives perspective to influencers to refine online strategy and gain trust of more followers.

Barometer of tourism

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 633-642
Author(s):  
Jorge Costa ◽  
Daniela Rodrigues ◽  
João Bastos
Keyword(s):  
Decision Makers ◽  
Environmental Scanning ◽  
Tourism Demand ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Travel And Tourism ◽  
Tourism Information ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose In this paper, the barometer of tourism (BoT), as a new approach to environmental scanning, is presented and discussed. A unique research methodology developed by IPDT, with the aim of analyzing prospectively the tourism and hospitality sectors from the perspective of senior professionals and public and private decision makers, is illustrated in detail. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on official tourism information and on-going research by IPDT, in particular, the “Barometer of Tourism”, which results are used to correlate with official statistics, thus demonstrating the Barometer’s value as a scanning tool. Findings BoT is a simple and low budget tool that can successfully predict the behaviour of tourism demand for Portugal in the short and medium term. After 50 editions, BoT established itself as a recognized and unique trends’ identification tool for the Portuguese hospitality and tourism organizations. Practical implications Results provide rich insights on analyzing prospectively the tourism and hospitality sectors from the perspective of senior professionals and public and private decision makers. Originality/value This paper seeks to illustrate that BoT can successfully predict the behaviour of tourism demand for Portugal, being a simple, low-budget and recognized tool for trends identification in hospitality, travel and tourism organizations.

The effect of emotions, eWOM quality and online review sequence on consumer intention to follow advice obtained from digital services

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 465-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Ruiz-Mafe ◽  
Enrique Bigné-Alcañiz ◽  
Rafael Currás-Pérez
Keyword(s):  
Structural Model ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Moderating Effect ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Bias Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Services ◽  
Information Cues ◽  
Cognitive Information ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper analyses the interrelationships between emotions, the cognitive information cues of online reviews and intention to follow the advice obtained from digital platforms, paying special attention to the moderating effect of the sequencing of review valence.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 830 Spanish Tripadvisor users. In a two-step approach, a measurement model was estimated and a structural model analysed to test the proposed hypotheses. SmartPLS 3.0 software was used. The moderating effect of sequencing of reviews is tested.FindingsThe data analysis showed a bias effect of review sequence on the impact of online information cues and emotions on intention to follow advice obtained from Tripadvisor. When the online reviews of a restaurant begin with positive commentaries, their perceived persuasiveness is a stronger driver of the pleasure and arousal elicited by online reviews than when they begin with negative reviews. On the other hand, the perceived helpfulness of online reviews only triggers arousal when the user reads negative, followed by positive, comments. The impact of pleasure on intention to follow the advice provided in an online travel community is higher with positive-negative than with negative-positive sequences.Originality/valueWhile researchers have demonstrated the benefits of customer reviews on company sales, a largely uninvestigated issue is the interplay between emotions and cognitive information cues in the processing of online reviews. This is one of the first studies to examine the moderating effect of conflicting reviews on the impact of emotions and cognitive information cues on consumer intention to follow the advice obtained from digital services.

scholarly journals Research on comment target extracting in Chinese online shopping platform

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-258
Author(s):  
Zhishuo Liu ◽  
Qianhui Shen ◽  
Jingmiao Ma ◽  
Ziqi Dong
Keyword(s):  
Association Rule ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pos Tagging ◽  
Part Of Speech ◽  
Frequency Feature ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Data Reading

Purpose This paper aims to extract the comment targets in Chinese online shopping platform. Design/methodology/approach The authors first collect the comment texts, word segmentation, part-of-speech (POS) tagging and extracted feature words twice. Then they cluster the evaluation sentence and find the association rules between the evaluation words and the evaluation object. At the same time, they establish the association rule table. Finally, the authors can mine the evaluation object of comment sentence according to the evaluation word and the association rule table. At last, they obtain comment data from Taobao and demonstrate that the method proposed in this paper is effective by experiment. Findings The extracting comment target method the authors proposed in this paper is effective. Research limitations/implications First, the study object of extracting implicit features is review clauses, and not considering the context information, which may affect the accuracy of the feature excavation to a certain degree. Second, when extracting feature words, the low-frequency feature words are not considered, but some low-frequency feature words also contain effective information. Practical implications Because of the mass online reviews data, reading every comment one by one is impossible. Therefore, it is important that research on handling product comments and present useful or interest comments for clients. Originality/value The extracting comment target method the authors proposed in this paper is effective.

The importance of user-generated photos in restaurant selection

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Oliveira ◽  
Beatriz Casais
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
User Generated Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Platforms ◽  
Photo Sharing ◽  
Restaurant Managers ◽  
Marketing Activities ◽  
Hospitality Sector ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose User-generated content and online reviews are highly relevant in purchase decision in the hospitality sector, including restaurants, but there is a lack of knowledge about the effect of sharing pictures in this context. This study aims to focus on the relevance of user-generated photos in online platforms for restaurants’ selection. Design/methodology/approach A research was conducted with a sample of 319 residents of Porto region, who had at least one meal in a restaurant over the 30 days before the answer of the survey and had searched online to select the restaurant. Findings The results show that while doing online research about restaurants, it is important for potential consumers to find pictures of food and physical evidences of restaurants generated by other users. Findings also show that consumers find user-generated photos especially at websites of reviews, although the importance of restaurant owned platforms, such as official social media pages and websites. Practical implications The research results appeal restaurant managers to understand the importance of user-generated photos in online platforms by promoting photo sharing in their restaurants with appropriate marketing activities for that purpose. Originality/value This paper expands the state-of-the-art about the importance of user-generated content, focusing on the importance of photos from restaurants shared by consumers in online platforms.

scholarly journals Stimulating satisfaction and loyalty: transformative behaviour and Muslim consumers

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (9) ◽  
pp. 2903-2923
Author(s):  
Naushad Mohamed ◽  
Babak Taheri ◽  
Anna Farmaki ◽  
Hossein Olya ◽  
Martin Joseph Gannon
Keyword(s):  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Destination Image ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This study aims to investigate the combinations of religiosity, cosmopolitanism and perceived destination image leading to satisfaction and loyalty amongst Muslim consumers within the Maldivian tourism and hospitality context. Design/methodology/approach Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study reveals that diverse combinations of religiosity, cosmopolitanism and destination image dimensions stimulate satisfaction and loyalty in Muslim consumers. Findings Multiple recipes can be used to design compelling destinations that balance the desire for religiosity and cosmopolitanism characteristic of contemporary Muslim consumers. The results confirm the applicability of complexity theory in explaining Muslim consumer behaviour within the Islamic destination context. Practical implications Several implications for the hospitality and tourism industry are drawn from the results, with suggestions for future research provided. Each fsQCA recipe identifies distinct suggestions to shape the design of destination attributes and hospitality offerings to stimulate consumer satisfaction and loyalty. Originality/value Complexity theory was applied to assess the complex causal relationships among Muslim consumers’ religiosity, perceived destination image, cosmopolitanism, satisfaction and loyalty.

scholarly journals Engaging the multi-generational workforce in tourism and hospitality

2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 245-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Barron ◽  
Anna Leask ◽  
Alan Fyall
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Selection Of

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to present strategies that hospitality and tourism organisations might adopt as a means of encouraging employee engagement, thus enabling the more effective management of an increasingly multi-generational workforce. This paper evaluates current strategies being adopted that might encourage employee engagement by a selection of hospitality and tourism organisations and develop recommendations for organisations wishing to more effectively engage the multi-generational workforce. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopts a mixed methods approach and presents findings based on a series of semi-structured interviews with management and self-completion questionnaires aimed at employees. Findings – The relationship between the supervisor and the employee remains a key enhancer regarding engagement and employees are increasingly demanding more contemporary methods of communication. Employers should take note of generational characteristics and adopt flexible policies attractive to all employees. Practical implications – This paper contributes no t only to the debate regarding generational differences in the workplace but it also identifies that the various generations evident in tourism organisations are desirous of similar working conditions and benefits. Organisations should consider the development of a range of packages that focus on linking employees with their purpose, their colleagues and their resources as a means of encouraging employee engagement. Originality/value – This study contributes to the debate regarding employee engagement and compares and contrasts initiatives that various tourism and hospitality organisations are adopting as a means of encouraging employee engagement. The study also elicits the views of the organisations employees to understand the extent of the effectiveness of such initiatives and makes recommendations regarding the most effective initiatives from both a management and employee perspective.

Online tourism and hospitality distribution: a perspective article

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 290-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter O’Connor
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Future Scenarios ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
The Future ◽  
Industry Practice ◽  
Prior Literature ◽  
Hospitality And Tourism ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Critically examining the development of online distribution in hospitality and tourism, this paper aims to speculate on likely future developments for the next decades. Design/methodology/approach The article review prior literature, combining themes with industry insights to speculate about the future. Findings The paper speculates on likely future scenarios for online distribution in hospitality and tourism, including further consolidation of major players, blurring of lines between organization types and the substitution of existing systems by mainstream e-commerce players. Research limitations/implications This paper provides a baseline analysis of the development of online distribution for use by future researchers. Practical implications This study speculates about likely future scenarios in hospitality and tourism distribution and their implications for industry practice. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first attempt to extrapolate the likely future of hospitality and tourism online distribution and its implications for industry.

Expert cues: how expert reviewers are perceived online

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 531-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Naujoks ◽  
Martin Benkenstein
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
The Other ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Review Author ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Source Expertise ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore different types of source expertise and how they influence perceived message quality. Consumers face the challenge to identify valuable online reviews. Source expertise as a signal of message quality can be displayed differently, depending on website layout, operator and review author.Design/methodology/approachTwo scenario-based experiments were conducted questioning 135 and 275 participants. They investigate the effect of different types of expert reviewers on perceived message quality and also examine the interplay of source expertise and source trustworthiness.FindingsThe findings reveal that the different types of expert reviewers differ in perceived expertise and their impact on perceived message quality. Claims of expertise induce the highest perceived expertise compared to the other expert types and non-experts, but are perceived as less trustworthy.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should examine the influence of the expert types across different product and service categories and could also include moderating influences that reflect how consumers process expert cues differently.Practical implicationsCues that signal high expertise and high trustworthiness are likely to deliver the most valuable online reviews. This should be incorporated in the website's layout to help consumers find valuable information.Originality/valueThe approach of this research is novel in that it undertakes comparisons between three types of expert cues and non-experts. It also addresses the interplay of source expertise and trustworthiness and examines the effect on message quality.

scholarly journals Competences in higher education tourism internships

2019 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Ferreras-Garcia ◽  
Jordi Sales-Zaguirre ◽  
Enric Serradell-López
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Hospitality Management ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Training Activities ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of correspondence between the academic training received by students and the demands of the job market. This was achieved by analysing the competences that are developed in internships to provide useful information for universities, students and tourism companies. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative analysis was carried out using questionnaires administered to the supervisors of students on curricular internships. The level of tourism competences of students on the bachelor degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management at the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management Sant Ignasi was assessed. A descriptive analysis and comparisons of means were carried out to investigate differences in competences between students undertaking internships, according to the hotel department and category. Findings The results of the study indicate that students undertaking internships improve their competences. Whether they undertake internships in one department or another does not affect the level of achievement of most competences. However, the category of a hotel does influence the level of development of the acquired competences. Research limitations/implications A questionnaire should be administered to students on their perceptions of the achievement of competences, as this could be compared with the supervisors’ perceptions. Practical implications The study generates extremely valuable information for companies, universities and students, as it reveals which competences are attained and to what extent. Based on these results, universities can adapt their training activities and the hotel industry will have information on learning processes during internships. Originality/value The analysis provides an innovative research, a real assessment by employers of the competences attained. It also identifies the need for more research on the subject related to employers’ perceptions of the level of competences that students develop in the workplace.

Dimensions of wine hotel experiences shared online

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Brochado ◽  
Mike Troilo ◽  
Helena Rodrigues ◽  
Fernando Oliveira-Brochado
Keyword(s):  
Market Segmentation ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wine Tourism ◽  
Tourism Experience ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Present Understanding

Purpose The purpose of this study sought to identify the main themes linked with wine hotel experiences, based on tourists’ narratives shared online, and to investigate whether these narratives vary according to traveler type. Design/methodology/approach Content analysis was carried out on 4,114 online reviews of 52 wine hotels located in 27 wine regions across 11 nations in both the Old and New World. Findings The analysis of these web reviews revealed that narratives can be grouped under 11 themes organized into 7 main dimensions as follows: wine, lodging (i.e. hotel, area and room), food service (i.e. restaurant and breakfast), scenery (i.e. views and vineyards), staff, transportation and recommendation. The main narratives vary according to traveler type. Practical implications Improving the present understanding of wine tourists’ experiences should help wine hotel managers find new approaches to enhancing visitors’ satisfaction. As the dimensions of wine tourism experiences shared online vary according to traveler type, wine managers can design their offer to target families, couples, friends, solo and corporate clients. Originality/value Prior research has identified the need for market segmentation in the wine tourism industry. This research addresses this need by specifying the wine tourism experience according to traveler type. The breadth of the data, and the method of using travelers’ own testimony as opposed to more common surveying are additional contributions for both academics and managers.

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