Hotel Websites Characterisation Framework For Consumers Information Needs

Authors

Keywords:

Website characterisation, tourism, hospitality, information dimensions, content analysis.

Abstract

Online presence is essential for tourism organisations, and the quality of websites can influence customers. In the case of hotels, there are many studies to evaluate website performance based on functionality, usability and other factors, much less on the amount of different information available to the consumer. In the near future by using Big Data it is expected that hotel websites will be dynamic, they will adapt themselves on-the-fly, showing personalized information to each consumer. Different consumers will have different websites (information’ available) from the same hotel. This paper presents a framework for the characterisation of hotel websites, focusing on the amount of information available to the consumer in each website, which was applied in a case study during the last months of 2013 to the websites of five-star hotels that operate in the tourist region of the Algarve, Portugal. The framework allowed to identify a set of exhaustive indicators for hotel website characterisation, which were then grouped into ten fundamental information dimensions. These dimensions further fell into four dimension groups. Finally, it is presented and discussed quantitative and qualitative evaluations, that illustrates which indicators and dimensions are more often considered on hotel websites to satisfy the consumer’s information needs.

Author Biographies

  • Célia M.Q. Ramos, ESGHT - University of the Algarve CEFAGE - University of Évora
    ESGHT - University of the Algarve
  • Marisol B. Correia, ESGHT - University of the Algarve
    ESGHT - University of the Algarve
  • João M.F. Rodrigues, LARSyS and ISE - University of the Algarve
    ISE - University of the Algarve
  • Carlos M.R. Sousa, ESGHT - University of the Algarve
    ESGHT - University of the Algarve
  • Pedro M. Cascada, ESGHT - University of the Algarve
    ESGHT - University of the Algarve

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Published

31.01.2016

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Section

Tourism/Hospitality: Research Papers

How to Cite

Hotel Websites Characterisation Framework For Consumers Information Needs. (2016). Tourism & Management Studies, 12(1), 25-39. https://tmstudies.net/index.php/ectms/article/view/835