Elena Carvajal-Trujillo

Corporate Facebook and stakeholder engagement

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an initial assessment of corporate Facebook use by Spanish hotel chains. Two aspects are considered: communication activity and stakeholder engagement through this social media platform. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a content analysis, data on 109 Spanish hotel chains are collected to describe current practices and identify significant relationships among different variables. Findings – The main findings include that their Facebook presence, audiences and levels of activity are positively related to hotel size, while stakeholder engagement is higher in small hotel chains and seems to be influenced by content and media types. Originality/value – This research contributes to previous research by providing an assessment of corporate Facebook in the hospitality industry (Spanish hotel chains). The paper considers two aspects: communication activity and stakeholder engagement through this social media platform.

Investigating the moderating effect of information sources on cruise tourist behaviour in a port of call

The aim of the study is to examine how destination knowledge acquired by cruisers through different information sources (online versus others) can moderate destination image formation and the relationship of image–satisfaction–behavioural intentions in a port of call. A multiple group analysis with partial least square method was carried out using data collected from a major tourism destination in Spain: Valencia. The findings revealed knowledge acquired through different information sources is a moderator of the image–satisfaction and satisfaction–behavioural intention relationships. The destination image formation is also significantly different from one group to the other. The findings of this study have a number of practical implications.

Assessing cruise port of call performance: a passenger-based approach using PLS modelling

ABSTRACT In the present context of booming cruise demand, the study aims to advance the knowledge on port of call performance from cruise passengers’ perspective. The aim of this investigation was twofold: (1) to examine the structural links among port of call perceived quality–satisfaction–future intentions (revisit and word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviour); and (2) to test the moderating effect of cruisers’ motivation (push versus pull factors) to visit the port of call on the proposed structural links. Partial least squares path modelling was used to test the proposed model with a sample of 492 cruise passengers at a Mediterranean port of call. The findings revealed that port of call quality has a positive impact on port of call satisfaction, which in turn, strongly affects revisit and WOM intention. Besides, the results of the multi-group analysis indicated that the links between port of call quality–satisfaction and port of call satisfaction–WOM are moderated by cruisers’ motivation. Implications for port authorities and cruise lines are discussed.

Examining Social Customer Relationship Management Among Irish Hotels

Purpose The purpose of this study is to develop and test a model examining the key factors that emerge from the social customer relationship management (CRM) process. Specifically, the study aims to address the chain-of-effects that occurs as a result of the social CRM process, leading to superior levels of hotel performance. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected employing a quantitative approach. Using a mail and online questionnaire, data was gathered from 120 key informants in hotels in Ireland. The proposed model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Findings Results demonstrate that the social CRM activities of hotels enhance hotel service innovation activities. This positively impacts the ability to develop a customer-linking capability, resulting in higher levels of customer performance. In turn, higher levels of customer performance leads to higher levels of financial performance. Practical implications Service innovation and customer-linking capability are...

The moderating effect of personal and situational characteristics in behavioural factors affecting ports of call

This research aims to study the moderating effects of cruise passengers’ gender, age, education, and prior experiences on a Mediterranean port of call destination image formation and the influence that image and passenger satisfaction has on future behavioural intentions. The partial least squares technique is applied to test the hypotheses developed with a sample of 492 cruise passengers. Our findings show that (1) gender, age, education, and experience have a moderating influence on the image of ports of call, on cruise passengers’ satisfaction, and on future behavioural intentions derived from cruise passengers’ satisfaction; (2) prior experience has a moderating influence on the image formation of ports of call.

The moderating effects of personal and situational characteristics on the image, satisfaction and future behavioral intention with ports of calls

The aim of this study is to examine the moderating effects of cruise passengers’ gender, age, education, and prior experiences on a Mediterranean port of call. We analyze the process of image formation and the influence that image and passenger satisfaction has on future behavioral intentions. The partial least squares technique (PLS) is applied to test the hypotheses developed with a sample of 492 cruise passengers. Our findings show that: (1) gender, age, education, and experience have a moderating influence on the image of ports of call, on cruise passengers’ satisfaction, and on future behavioral intentions derived from cruise passengers’ satisfaction; (2) prior experience has a moderating influence on the image formation of ports of call.