Vasiliki Vrana and Kostas Zafiropoulos
Using Travelpod.com, this paper aims to provide a methodology to locate central groups of travelers and to describe pattern characteristics of central travelers.
Abstract
Purpose
Using Travelpod.com, this paper aims to provide a methodology to locate central groups of travelers and to describe pattern characteristics of central travelers.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses snowball sampling to locate travelers and analyze their hyperlink interconnections to identify central travelers' groups. Analysis of the adjacency matrix of the social network of travelers using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to identify core travelers' groups follows.
Findings
In total, 7 percent of travelers are considered central travelers. They form core groups containing the most active and information providing travelers. Group membership is correlated with common travelers' characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to a specific network of travelers, to a specific time interval, and to a specific sampling method. Repetition of the study in other travelers' networks in several time instances using a full list of member travelers would help to generalize the findings. Also, graph theoretical approaches other than the statistical analysis used could reveal more properties.
Practical implications
Travelers in core groups are more likely to be reached by others who navigate through a series of incoming links that lead to them and it is probable that these travelers have the potential to address many visitors and therefore to have a significant impact on the provision of information.
Originality/value
The originality of the paper lies in the use of multivariate statistics on the network adjacency matrix to locate core travelers groups and on finding groups of the most influential travelers.
Details
Keywords
Costas Zafiropoulos, Vasiliki Vrana and Dimitrios Paschaloudis
The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate the practices hoteliers use to design their hotel web sites. It argues that hoteliers provide groups of relative information…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and evaluate the practices hoteliers use to design their hotel web sites. It argues that hoteliers provide groups of relative information services, they provide them in different degrees of occurrence, and some of them being significant are not provided to meet the customers' demands, while others are provided regardless of their low perceived significance.
Design/methodology/approach
This work distinguishes groups of information services according to their occurrence and significance. The content of 798 Greek hotel web sites is recorded using the frequencies of 66 information features. Also a sample of 17 users provides the significance ratings of the information features.
Findings
Greek hotel web sites are primarily designed to serve as electronic brochures and, while they generally satisfy most of the users' needs, they partly serve as online transactions media, a function considered significant.
Practical implications
Identifies and rates the rendered groups of related information services at hotel web sites.
Originality/value
Enables hoteliers and web designers to evaluate significant web sites' characteristics.
Details
Keywords
Vasiliki Vrana and Costas Zafiropoulos
The purpose of this paper is to adopt a total view on the issue of usage and attitude of travel agents towards internet technology. Many aspects are being investigated, such as…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to adopt a total view on the issue of usage and attitude of travel agents towards internet technology. Many aspects are being investigated, such as agents' attitudes towards internet applications, the current state of internet use, the relative maturity of the web sites, and internet marketing by Greek tourist agencies.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted. Greek Travel Pages (GTP), notified travel agents via e‐mail sent about the online questionnaire web site. Travel agents willing to participate visited a tailor made web site replied to the questionnaire and the data were recorded to a database. A total of 117 questionnaires were answered. The questionnaire used included five sections and questions were adopted from previous researches.
Findings
Facilitation of global marketing and completion of online services are the most important reasons for using internet practices according to tourism agents. Travel agencies generally do not use internet practices effectively as a relatively small number of transactions are completed on line. The web pages are merely used as another means to exhibit their static information. Security difficulties and the need for social interaction are the main barriers to marketing over the internet
Research limitations/implications
This is an exploratory study addressed to agents on‐line. Further research and studies are needed by a broader range of travel agencies
Practical implications
Provides suggestions for good practices to tourism agents along with an understanding of their attitudes on internet use
Originality/value
Enables travel agents to recognize the pros and cons of using internet and to make technology an essential part of the company.
Details
Keywords
George Karavasilis, Dafni-Maria Nerantzaki, Panagiotis Pantelidis, Dimitrios Paschaloudis and Vasiliki Vrana
Environmental awareness has significant impact on hotel selection. As hotel customers’ become more ecologically conscious tend to prefer hotels that have environmental policies in…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental awareness has significant impact on hotel selection. As hotel customers’ become more ecologically conscious tend to prefer hotels that have environmental policies in place. The purpose of this paper is to examine customers’ perceptions of what a green hotel should do or should be and exploring intentions to choose a green hotel.
Design/methodology/approach
An empirical research study was conducted using an online survey. The questionnaire used investigates what a green hotel should do or should be environmental concerns, eco-friendly attitudes, eco-friendly activities, awareness, overall image, intention to pay more and intention to visit a green hotel. In total, 159 completed and usable questionnaires were received.
Findings
Findings reveal that potential customers’ are highly environmentally conscious. However, they are not fully aware about green hotels and do not always intent to visit a green hotel, or are willing to pay more.
Originality/value
Hotel customers’ perceptions towards intention to visit a green hotel are different among various ages and geographic locations. Thus, the study focuses on perceptions of Generation Y in Greece. Hotel managers should be aware of customers’ buying behaviour towards green practices and communicate more, green hotel practices.