Do online hotel rating schemes influence booking behaviors?. (August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Casaló, Luis V.; Flavián, Carlos; Guinalíu, Miguel; Ekinci, Yuksel
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 49(2015)
• Page Start: 28
• Page End: 36
• Publication Date: 2015-08
• Subjects: Hotel rating -- Online travel community -- Credibility -- Usefulness -- Booking intentions -- Attitude -- Social networks -- eWOM; Hotel management -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Periodicals; Hôtels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Restaurants -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Services alimentaires -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Food service management; Hotel management; Restaurant management; Periodicals; 647.94
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2015.05.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Abstract: Travelers' hotel booking behaviors increasingly depend on peers' opinions and online ratings. This study investigates the effects of online hotel ratings on travelers' attitudes toward the hotel and booking intentions, using a 2 × 2 experimental research design. The results suggest that online rating lists are more useful and credible when published by well-known online travel communities (e.g., TripAdvisor). More favorable attitudes toward a hotel and higher booking intentions emerge when the hotel appears in best hotels lists. Finally, for the entries on best hotels lists, better attitudes and higher booking intentions result if the list is published on a well-known online travel community (Tripadvisor), whereas for entries on a worst hotel list, attitudes and booking intentions decrease even further if the list appears on TripAdvisor.