Master Thesis Online Travel Agencies As a Source of Hotel Information: A
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Master Thesis Online travel agencies as a source of hotel information: A content analysis Author: Kimberly Y. Peterkin Supervisor: Ljubica Knežević Cvelbar Faculty of Economics University of Ljubljana Ljubljana, Slovenia July 2014 Faculty of Humanities, University of Southern Denmark Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana Faculty of Tourism, University of Girona ii AUTHORSHIP STATEMENT The undersigned Kimberly Peterkin, a student at the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Economics, (hereafter: FELU), declare that I am the author of the master’s thesis entitled “Online travel agencies as a source of hotel information: A content analysis,” written under supervision of Dr. Ljubica Knežević Cvelbar. In accordance with the Copyright and Related Rights Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nr. 21/1995 with changes and amendments) I allow the text of my master’s thesis to be published on the FELU website. I further declare the text of my master’s thesis to be based on the results of my own research; the text of master’s thesis to be language-edited and technically in adherence with the FELU’s Technical Guidelines for Written Works which means that I o cited and quoted works and opinions of other authors in my master’s thesis in accordance with the FELU’s Technical Guidelines for Written Works and o obtained (and referred to in my master’s thesis) all the necessary permits to use the works of other authors which are entirely (in written or graphical form) used in my text; to be aware of the fact that plagiarism (in written or graphical form) is a criminal offence and can be prosecuted in accordance with the Criminal Code (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, Nr. 55/2008 with changes and amendments); to be aware of the consequences a proven plagiarism charge based on the submitted master’s thesis / could have for my status at the FELU in accordance with the relevant FELU Rules on Master’s Thesis. Ljubljana, July 31, 2014. Author’s signature: ______________________ iii iv Table of Content INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 Rationale ................................................................................................................................ 1 Research question .................................................................................................................. 3 Structure ................................................................................................................................. 4 1 LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Online booking ............................................................................................................ 5 1.1.1 Infrastructure ................................................................................................... 5 1.1.2 Internet usage in tourism ................................................................................. 6 1.1.3 Online travel agencies ..................................................................................... 7 1.1.3.1 How do OTAs work? ............................................................................... 7 1.1.3.2 The relationship between OTAs and hoteliers ......................................... 8 1.1.3.2.1 Reservation/pricing ............................................................................. 9 1.1.3.2.2 Guest reviews and star rating .............................................................. 9 1.2 The elements and principles of website design ......................................................... 10 1.2.1 The importance of website design................................................................. 10 1.2.1.1 Website functions .................................................................................. 11 1.2.1.1.1 Categorizing website functions by dimension ................................... 12 1.2.1.1.2 Website function as tools to engage customers ................................. 12 1.3 The characteristics of the content of hotel listing pages ........................................... 13 1.3.1 The advertising properties of hotel descriptions ........................................... 14 1.3.1.1 Persuasion and mental imagery processing ........................................... 15 1.3.2 The importance of texts in hotel listings ....................................................... 16 1.3.2.1 The linguistic properties of text ............................................................. 16 1.3.3 The role of color ............................................................................................ 16 1.4 The common themes in the hotel description genre .................................................. 17 1.4.1 Categories of hotel information .................................................................... 17 v 1.4.1.1 Facilities and amenities .......................................................................... 18 1.4.1.2 Surrounding information........................................................................ 18 1.4.1.2.1 Attractions ......................................................................................... 18 1.4.1.2.2 Transportation ................................................................................... 19 1.5 Information provision in hotel listings ...................................................................... 19 1.5.1 The properties of information ....................................................................... 19 1.5.1.1 Information barriers ............................................................................... 20 1.6 Summary of literature ................................................................................................ 21 1.7 Analysis of the literature ........................................................................................... 22 2 PRESENTATION OF THE CASE .................................................................................. 26 2.1 Countries ................................................................................................................... 26 2.1.1 Denmark ........................................................................................................ 26 2.1.1.1 Esbjerg ................................................................................................... 26 2.1.2 Slovenia ......................................................................................................... 26 2.1.2.1 Ljubljana ................................................................................................ 26 2.1.3 Spain .............................................................................................................. 27 2.1.3.1 Girona .................................................................................................... 27 2.1.4 Tourism development.................................................................................... 27 2.2 Online travel agencies (OTAs) .................................................................................. 28 2.2.1 Booking.com ................................................................................................. 29 2.2.2 Expedia.com .................................................................................................. 29 2.2.3 Priceline.com ................................................................................................. 29 2.2.4 Hotels.com .................................................................................................... 30 2.2.5 Travelocity.com ............................................................................................ 30 2.3 Hotels in the sample .................................................................................................. 30 3 METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 34 3.1 The relationship among common terms .................................................................... 34 vi 3.2 Research paradigm .................................................................................................... 34 3.2.1 The constructivist paradigm .......................................................................... 35 3.3 Qualitative data analysis ............................................................................................ 35 3.3.1 Computer assisted/aided qualitative data analysis software ......................... 35 3.3.1.1 NVIVO................................................................................................... 36 3.3.2 Content analysis ............................................................................................ 36 3.3.2.1 Content analysis in tourism.................................................................... 37 3.3.2.2 The Content analysis procedure ............................................................. 37 3.3.2.2.1 Stage 1. Formulating research questions or hypotheses .................... 38 3.3.2.2.2 Stage 2. Identifying variables ............................................................ 39 3.3.2.2.3 Stage 3. Defining categories and units of measurement.................... 40 3.3.2.2.4 Stage 4. Creating coding scheme ...................................................... 40 3.3.2.2.5 Stage 5. Sampling .............................................................................