A picture is worth a thousand words: The role of a cover photograph on a travel agency's online identity. (April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Yi; Tang, Liang (Rebecca); Kim, Eojina
• Is Part Of: International journal of hospitality management. Volume 94(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04
• Subjects: Cover photograph -- Online travel agencies -- Information search -- Photograph attributes; 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.2020.102801
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-4319

Abstract

Highlights: Investigates customers' searching behavior after viewing a business' cover photograph on OTAs' webpages. Classifies the five attributes of a cover photograph: façade, type of place, room amenities, scenery, and property amenities. Suggests façade and property amenities have positive impacts on customers' viewing times of OTAs' webpages. Identifies scenery as a negative influence on customers' viewing times of OTAs' webpages. Abstract: Online travel agencies (OTAs) allow lodging businesses to select one cover photograph to represent itself on the OTA site. The cover photograph plays a crucial role for attracting customers' attention from among alternatives, and lure viewers to view the webpage with detailed information. The present study investigates how the content of a business' cover photograph on OTAs' sites influences customers' behavior when searching for information. The content of a cover photograph may fall within five categories according to attributes: façade, type of place, room amenities, scenery, and property amenities. Only façade and property amenities have positive impacts on customers' viewing times of the webpages with the detailed information of businesses. In contrast, scenery has a negative influence on customers' viewing times. The results of the study contribute, theoretically and methodologically, to OTAs' knowledge base and can assist practitioners' identification of effective cover photographs.