Stuart E. Levy

Destination Branding: Insights and Practices from Destination Management Organizations

Although the concept of branding has been applied extensively to products and services, tourism destination branding is a relatively recent phenomenon. In particular, destination branding remains narrowly defined to many practitioners in destination management organizations (DMOs) and is not well represented in the tourism literature. Consequently, this study has three goals. First, it attempts to review the conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of branding as conveyed by leading authors in the marketing field. Second, it seeks to refine and enhance the definition of destination branding (acceptable to and understood by tourism destination managers) to more fully represent the complexities of the tourism product. Third, and most importantly, it seeks to improve our understanding of current destination branding practices among DMOs. The findings indicate that although DMO executives generally understand the concept of destination branding, respondents are implementing only selective aspects of this concept, particularly logo design and development.

An Analysis of One-Star Online Reviews and Responses in the Washington, D.C., Lodging Market

The hotel industry continues to develop strategies for addressing consumer-generated online reviews, and particularly responding to poor reviews, which can have a damaging effect on a hotel’s reputation. To gain a greater understanding of the dynamics of poor reviews, this study analyzed 1,946 one-star reviews from ten popular online review websites, as well as 225 management responses from eighty-six Washington, D.C., hotels. A comprehensive complaint framework found that the most common complaints related to front desk staff, bathroom issues, room cleanliness, and guestroom noise issues. Complaints were also analyzed by hotel characteristics, including chain-scale segments, and reviewer characteristics, including purpose of travel and geographic location. Examining the reviews, highly rated hotels often respond to online complaints with appreciation, apologies, and explanations for what had gone wrong. Compensation adjustments are rarely mentioned by any hotel. The increasingly prominent role of social media necessitates that hotels use online reviews for market research and service recovery opportunities, regardless of whether they respond publicly.

Factors Influencing the Usability of Mobile Destination Management Organization Websites

Mobile devices, such as smartphones, are fast becoming the primary way for many travelers to access the Internet in search of travel-related information. While mobile devices provide travelers with ubiquitous access to the Internet, they also face limitations, such as small screens and slow loading times, which destination management organizations (DMOs) must consider when designing mobile websites. This study investigates the factors influencing the overall usability of mobile DMO websites. Based on a sample of U.S. travelers with mobile devices, findings indicate that design elements related to Ease of Use and Content contribute most significantly to the overall usability of mobile DMO websites. Also, travelers highly value mobile DMO websites that are well structured and organized, offer convenient services, and have an easy-to-understand appearance. Managerial implications and areas for further research are discussed.

Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Hotel Service Performance A Sentimental Analysis Approach

Online user-generated content in various social media websites, such as consumer experiences, user feedback, and product reviews, has increasingly become the primary information source for both consumers and businesses. In this study, we aim to look beyond the quantitative summary and unidimensional interpretation of online user reviews to provide a more comprehensive view of online user-generated content. Moreover, we would like to extend the current literature to the more customer-driven service industries, particularly the hotel industry. We obtain a unique and extensive dataset of online user reviews for hotels across various review sites and over long time periods. We use the sentiment analysis technique to decompose user reviews into different dimensions to measure hotel service quality and performance based on the SERVPERF model. Those dimensions are then incorporated into econometrics models to examine their effect in shaping users’ overall evaluation and content-generating behavior. The results suggest that different dimensions of user reviews have significantly different effects in forming user evaluation and driving content generation. This paper demonstrates the importance of using textual data to measure consumers’ relative preferences for service quality and evaluate service performance.

A Field Experimental Investigation of Managerially Facilitated Consumer-to-Consumer Interaction

ABSTRACT Positive social interactions among consumers are considered increasingly important elements in corporate relationship marketing efforts. There is scant empirical research, however, demonstrating the effect of consumer interactions facilitated by service industry managers on consumer evaluations and behavioral intentions. This study employs a field experimental methodology utilizing four half-day cultural heritage tours (n = 156) to examine consumer-to-consumer (C-to-C) interactions within the group travel context. Research findings demonstrate that managerially facilitated C-to-C interactions significantly increase tour member satisfaction and enjoyment. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, and calls are made for more field experimental methodologies to be used in tourism research.

An exploration of social stimuli influencing the student sightseeing tour experience

The social aspect of group touring is of critical importance to tour members and travel providers, even within limited duration group travel such as sightseeing tours. However, scant attention has been paid to individual and contextual elements that influence positive social interactions between group travelers. To address this knowledge gap, this study explores group traveler motives, characteristics, and situational factors which can contribute to forming more socially oriented travel experiences, and investigates how these elements influence consumer evaluations within the student sightseeing tour context. Utilizing focus groups, interviews and surveys, this research investigates the role of eight social stimuli on key marketing outcomes, including satisfaction, word of mouth, and repeat intention. Four stimuli—mood, perceived similar interests, cultural motives, and extroversion—were found to significantly influence respondent evaluations and intentions. Based on these findings, recommendations for tour companies and guides are given and future research directions are suggested.

Consumer Traits, Motives and Mood: Influencers on Group Travel Evaluations

Consumer research on leisure group travel often focuses on the functional value of the consumption experience, particularly tour attributes such as hotels, attractions, guides, scenery, and tour itinerary. However, there has been relatively little examination of individual and situational variables, such as traveler motivations and characteristics, which can influence tour member satisfaction, repeat purchase intention, and referral behavior. The major objectives of this quantitative study were to describe and examine the role of these individual and group factors on marketing outcomes including satisfaction, repeat purchase intention, and referral behavior. This research utilized a field experiment approach, in which four half-day cultural tours were conducted. Both survey and observational data were collected.