Technology and InnovationAnalyzing the Heterogeneity of the Hotel Guests’ Behavior
- Mariia Bordian 1
- María Fuentes-Blasco 2
- 1 University of Valencia, 46022 Valencia
- 2 Pablo de Olavide University, 41013 Seville
ISSN: 0718-1876
Year of publication: 2024
Volume: 19
Issue: 2
Pages: 1599-1615
Type: Article
More publications in: Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Abstract
The study intends to identify and analyze different consumer segments. For this purpose, we examine why customers turn to electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) before making a purchase and how they perceive a hotel’s information and communication technology (ICT) and relational innovation after making a purchase. The objective was empirically tested with data from a panel of consumers who stayed at hotels during the post-pandemic recovery period in Spain. In total, 393 valid questionnaires were obtained. The estimation of a finite mix model was applied to identify guest profiles. Estimation identified three guest profiles where the perceptions of the hotel’s relational innovation and ICT present a high discriminant power in the first two segments. Moreover, compared to the second segment, the first group is characterized by the low impact level of these variables. On the other hand, the motivation to consult eWOM in the prebooking stage significantly influences all three groups; however, the guests of the third segment present less motivation than the rest. Hotel managers may consider ICT, relational innovation, and eWOM factors when segmenting consumers. Understanding this would enhance the company’s service delivery and the hotel’s competitiveness. The contribution of this study lies in considering ICT, relational innovation, and eWOM as novel factors that help identify different guest profiles.