Abstract

MARTINS SILVA, Marcela; MENDES-FILHO, Luiz  and  MARQUES JUNIOR, Sérgio. Online Travel Reviews about Accommodations: A Quantitative Approach with Travelers in Natal (Brazil). Estud. perspect. tur. [online]. 2019, vol.28, n.1, pp.185-206. ISSN 1851-1732.

The constant technological advances have made major changes in the tourism industry. This is noticeable by the growing number of people who share their travel experiences on the Internet. This study aimed to analyze the variables that influence the use of the Online Travel Reviews (OTR) in choosing an accommodation. It was done an investigation into the comments available on the internet about information on touristic products and services, specifically about accommodations. The research proposed to analyze the antecedents of intention to use OTR in choosing an accommodation through the Technology Acceptance Model, Motivational Theory, Similarity, and Trustworthiness. The methodology used was a descriptive-exploratory study, bibliographic research, utilizing a quantitative approach. The study used a Structural Equation Modeling technique called Partial Least Squares (PLS), to test and evaluate the proposed research model. Data collection was performed with 308 travelers in five hotels in Natal (Brazil), who have used the OTRs in choosing an accommodation. The results showed that the respondents have attitude and intention to use the OTRs to choose an accommodation. For hotels and travel agencies, the study confirmed that travelers use OTRs and are influenced by them to choose services, hotels, and ultimately to plan their travels. Therefore, it is up to the entrepreneurs to use the internet to optimize and optimize their sales

Keywords : Online travel reviews; Accommodations; Internet.