Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

Oliveira, Bruno; Casais, Beatriz

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-11-2017-0130

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/approachA 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.FindingsThe 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 implicationsThe 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/valueThis 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.

Brochado, Ana; Brochado, Fernando

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-06-2017-0039

The concept of camping has changed over time, with new niche markets appealing to sustainable tourists. Glamping – short for “glamorous camping” – offers a way to experience the positive aspects of camping while minimising the negatives. This paper aims to present the empirical findings of an exploratory study that examined tourists’ Web-reviews to identify the expressive dimensions that describe these travellers’ experience.Design/methodology/approachA content analysis of Web reviews provided by tourists on glamping booking websites produced a battery of concepts used to assess glamping experiences from the guests’ perspective. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used.FindingsThe analysis identified 11 themes: experience, hotel, learn, host, camping, nature, food, ingredients, different, eco and yoga. The results reveal that, when quality of experience is evaluated through user-generated content, two attributes appear to be involved – functional elements offered by service providers and consumers’ emotional elements.Originality/valueWeb-reviews clearly offer important information to managers in the glamping sector. The present study’s analysis revealed that different market segments (i.e. couples, visitors with families or friends and those travelling alone) share certain aspects of glamping experiences.

Harb, Ayman Abdo; Fowler, Deborah; Chang, Hyo Jung (Julie); Blum, Shane C.; Alakaleek, Wejdan

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-03-2017-0027

This study relied on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to assess factors that affected event fans’ decisions regarding their intention to attend events by using social network websites. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of event fans’ attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control on their intentions to go to events based on social networking sites (SNSs) marketing. In addition, the researchers examined the impact of perceived enjoyment on event fans’ attitudes towards events pages on SNS.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative research method and used an online survey distributed on Qualtrics and based on the TPB. Populations in the study were followers of events pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The sample was convenience.FindingsBy using the partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the study found that all the research hypothesis were supported except (H2). While event fans’ attitudes had not a statistically significant impact on their behavioral intentions towards using social media to go to events (H2), perceived enjoyment had a statistically significant impact on event fans’ attitudes towards events pages on SNS (H1). According to the research findings, event fans were influenced by their subjective norms (H3) and perceived behavioral control (H4). These factors significantly influenced event fans’ behavioral intention, which led to their actual behavior (H5).Practical implicationsThis study provided evidence supporting that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were effective in forming intention towards events page, which in turn affected actual behavior, while perceived enjoyment was effective in forming events fan attitudes towards events’ social media pages. This may indicate a need for positive images of the events depicted through social media. In addition, when using social media as a marketing medium for events, event marketers and organizers should understand how other important people’s opinions and perceptions affect the intention and behavior formation. This implies the need to stress the social acceptance of the events, and use family ties, family and other social-units elements of events.Social implicationsThis study provided statistical evidence supporting the applicability of the TPB within the context of event marketing and using social media. This implies a better understanding of the rational decision-making process, along with the social factors affecting the process of forming behavioral intentions and intentions. Furthermore, perceived enjoyment was incorporated within the model. Perceived enjoyment was effective in forming positive attitudes towards events’ social media pages. This highlights the need to provide information and contents in an enjoyable and user-friendly way.Originality/valueThe value of this study is derived from its aim to highlight the importance of social media as an effective marketing tool for events. Moreover, this study sought to contribute to the literature on social media by exploring how social media affected event attendees’ behavior and attitudes and by gauging the impact of social media on the event industry.

Cavusoglu, Muhittin

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-12-2017-0141

This study aims to examine the utilization of Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) technology applications in different types of US restaurants along with their level of IT management and explore the importance of these technology applications to restaurant operations.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected from 500 randomly selected restaurant technology managers who subscribe to Hospitality Technology Magazine. The sample group represented 67,299 restaurant units. Data analysis was organized into three parts (descriptive, exploratory factor analysis, and independent samples t-test).FindingsFor FOH, the top-five point of sale (POS) technologies used are POS hardware, touchscreen, POS software, gift card integration and integrated credit card swipe into POS. At the BOH, the top-five POS technologies used are accounting/financial software, enterprise reporting, inventory management software, kitchen printers and company intranet.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies to include a variety of technologies used in restaurants. Most existing studies focus on a single technology or a small number of them. However, this study provides an overall perspective on a variety of restaurant technologies from FOH to BOH. It also includes mobile POS technologies.

Sakamoto, Noriaki

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-11-2017-0128

This paper aims to examine a congestion situation of a certain type of restaurant in a theme park (Tokyo Disney Resort) by a simulation based on Little’s law, which is a basic principle in Queueing theory. In the restaurant, a guest (customer) lines up to order, pay and receive dishes. A problem is that even when a guest can easily find vacant tables, it takes a long time to receive dishes. Because guests can see there are vacant tables, there are many tweets of complaints. This situation is a factor to undermine customer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThis paper proposes dedicated special menu lines only providing special set as one solution that can be realized at a low cost to reduce vacant tables. Here, if the number of special menu lines is fixed, the difference between a queue in regular lines and that in special menu lines will be big. To shorten the difference, the author proposes a technique to regulate by using feedback control (Proportional control or Fuzzy control).FindingsThe simulation result shows that the number of vacant tables decreases by about 16 per cent compared with the current situation.Originality/valueThis paper considers a specific restaurant, but the proposed method can be applied to the same type of restaurant in the theme park. If the restaurant in the theme park is crowded, the feedback control of the queue brings new possibilities.

Pierdicca, Roberto; Paolanti, Marina; Frontoni, Emanuele

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-07-2017-0043

This paper aims to present innovative information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure specifically designed and optimized for the tourism sector. The case presented, “La Valle del Pensare lungo il corso del Potenza”, has been conceived with the aim of providing a digital infrastructure to ten municipalities in the Marche Region (Italy), nestled among the valley of the Potenza River. This research project is aimed at developing an important communication system that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory, promoting historical centers, cultural heritage, green areas and interesting places.Design/methodology/approach“La Valle del Pensare” information system has the main feature of being scalable and multi-purpose, as the contents can be managed and conveyed through the website, app mobile, totem touch screen and standard tourist signage. It is integrated and modular and allows to manage multiple information, ensuring an interoperable and multi-channel approach. It is designed for small municipalities in the province of Macerata to connect the territory’s resources and activities through a network.FindingsThis work represents an important communication system, i.e. innovative ICT infrastructure that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory. Thanks to the collection of user-generated data, the platform allows monitoring of usage statistics and performances. In this way, the municipalities can infer useful information about user’s preferences and needs. The paper also discusses how “La Valle del Pensare” gives identity to the territory, which is not identified as a simple summation of the Common, but as a recognizable system that intends to implement the level of competitiveness through the creation of a real territorial logo able to identify vocations and specificity of the Valley of the Potenza.Originality/valueThe value of the project lies in the ICT system, able to convey information at different scales, providing the users with updated contents; at the same time, administrations can constantly monitor its performances, being able to infer useful information about tourists’ needs, habits and preferences. The main contributions are the creation of a single cloud-based architecture for the management of multiple multi- media contents, to be exploited in various platforms; the design of a unique content management system used by several small municipalities of a same territory; the monitoring user’s preferences and needs by collecting users’ generated data; and the analysis of meaningful statistics about the tourists, tested and verified in real scenario with real users.

Alrawadieh, Zaid; Dincer, Mithat Zeki

2019 Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology

doi: 10.1108/jhtt-09-2017-0093

Drawing on a sample of 520 negative reviews posted on TripAdvisor against all five-star hotels operating in Petra, Jordan, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the response of luxury hotels to negative online reviews by considering the Response Rate (RR), the Response Time (RT) and the Response Content (RC).Design/methodology/approachA deductive content analysis was used on hotels’ managerial responses. Based on the literature review, a four-construct scheme was identified to guide the analysis including Appreciation; Apology; Explanation; and Incentive. The managerial responses were carefully read and manually coded based on the four-construct scheme. The time between the review posting date and the date of the managerial response was also recorded. Luxury hotel managers were also surveyed to obtain insights into their perceptions and practices with respect to online reputation management.FindingsThe findings call into question luxury hotels’ awareness of the harmful impact of negative online reviews. Specifically, the findings suggest that less than half of the negative reviews received a managerial response, and that more than half of these were standardized and did not refer to the issues raised in the reviews. The low response rate coupled with the hotel managers’ consensus on the importance of answering all online reviews indicates inconsistency between hotel managers’ perceptions and practices with regard to online reputation management.Originality/valueThe paper adds to the ongoing debate on reputation management in the hospitality industry by considering the managerial response to negative online reviews. The paper discusses several managerial implications for hotel managers as well as avenues for future research.