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Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries
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Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Tourism, Culture, and Heritage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2020) | Viewed by 131281

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Vrana

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Business Administration, Business School, International Hellenic University, 62124 Serres, Greece
Interests: social media; ICT in tourism; digital marketing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Social media has gained massive popularity by enabling users to create and distribute content, share information and knowledge, create profiles and promote their skills and capabilities, and connect and collaborate with other users. Tourism, being a dynamic industry and one of the largest industries in the electronic marketplace, exploits the intangible and digital nature of the distribution of tourism products, constantly adapting its services and products to satisfy customers’ ever-changing needs and desires. Thus, tourism and hospitality companies integrate social media into their web strategies in order to improve customers’ information searching, enhance customers’ experiences, and build useful communication and cooperation links. Social networking sites, wikis, blogging, microblogging, and podcasting are generating tremendous interest online, are fundamentally changing tourists’ information search behavior, and are affecting subsequent decision-making. However, for the hospitality and tourism industries, social media can do more than be a source of information, communication, and entertainment. It may have a significant positive impact on sustainable tourism development.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a forum to discuss and identify new trends and developments and to disseminate the latest research findings on social media applications in tourism and hospitality with an emphasis on sustainability.

In this framework, topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • The role of social media in sustainable tourism;
  • Social media marketing for sustainable tourism development;
  • How social media is changing the profile, role, and behavior of tourism companies;
  • How social media is changing the behavior of tourists;
  • Social media influencers in the hospitality and tourism industries;
  • Social media and smart tourism;
  • Explaining the phenomenon of social media and generating insights for practitioners;
  • The impact of social media on tourism demand and supply;
  • Uses of social media in tourism marketing and branding;
  • Web 3.0 in hospitality and tourism industries.

Prof. Dr. Vasiliki Vrana
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Social media
  • Social media marketing
  • Social media influencers
  • Social media Trends
  • Social network analysis
  • Big Data
  • Web 2.0
  • Web 3.0
  • Sustainable tourism
  • Sustainability
  • Smart tourism

Published Papers (19 papers)

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22 pages, 4441 KiB  
Article
Using AR Technology in Tourism Based on the Example of Maritime Educational Trips—A Conceptual Model
by Rafał Kaźmierczak, Agnieszka Szczepańska, Cezary Kowalczyk, Grzegorz Grunwald and Artur Janowski
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7172; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13137172 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3041
Abstract
Technological progress in augmented reality (AR) creates new application opportunities for different branches of tourism. The application of modern technology is made possible by the widespread use of mobile devices and dedicated tourist applications. Preliminary market research demonstrates that there are no global [...] Read more.
Technological progress in augmented reality (AR) creates new application opportunities for different branches of tourism. The application of modern technology is made possible by the widespread use of mobile devices and dedicated tourist applications. Preliminary market research demonstrates that there are no global solutions intended for tourists on sea voyages that make use of augmented reality. This paper analyzes the use of AR technology in water tourism. The proposed Maritime Educational Trip (MET) system makes it possible to combine geolocation information with the accumulated knowledge of a specific location and to present it with AR. An example prototypical Android application is developed, combining e-navigation with a knowledge base. The developed solutions show how a combination of the real world with a computer-generated world helps to expand the tourism space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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20 pages, 677 KiB  
Article
An Approach towards Investigating Factors Affecting Intention to Book a Hotel Room through Social Media
by Anastasios-Ioannis Theocharidis, Maria Argyropoulou, George Karavasilis, Vasiliki Vrana and Evangelos Kehris
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8973; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218973 - 29 Oct 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5355
Abstract
Today, social media have become a major trend, and consumers are engaging more and more in the social media platforms used by hotels. This does not mean that they book a hotel room via social media, as the booking process is a complex [...] Read more.
Today, social media have become a major trend, and consumers are engaging more and more in the social media platforms used by hotels. This does not mean that they book a hotel room via social media, as the booking process is a complex one. The paper investigates the factors that affect users’ intention to book a hotel room using social media applications. The recent enforcement of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in California may have an impact on consumers’ behavior. To investigate this further, the study integrates into a model the following constructs: Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, trust in online hoteliers, social media use, and permission-based-acceptance. The survey was conducted on Greek users of social media. An online questionnaire was used for data collection. The conceptual model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. The study identified four factors that directly or indirectly influence consumers’ intention to book hotel rooms through social media. Usefulness directly affects intention to book online. Permission-based acceptance plays a core role in the model. Both constructs trust in online hoteliers and social media use, and have a direct positive effect on permission-based acceptance, whereas permission-based acceptance has a direct positive influence on intention to book through social media. The validated model stretches the need for hoteliers to obtain permission from consumers in carrying out their marketing activities. It is important for hotel owners, managers, and social media specialists to keep consumers in mind, offer them useful information and services, and have a trustworthy behavior in order to boost bookings through social media. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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19 pages, 693 KiB  
Article
The Role of Social Media on Tourists’ Behavior: An Empirical Analysis of Millennials from the Czech Republic
by Mohsin Javed, Zuzana Tučková and Abdul Bashiru Jibril
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7735; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187735 - 18 Sep 2020
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 9299
Abstract
Due to the emergence of Web 2.0 and consequently the increased use of social media, this study aims to explore the role of social media in changing the behavior of tourists and the choice of a destination. Despite the massive popularity of social [...] Read more.
Due to the emergence of Web 2.0 and consequently the increased use of social media, this study aims to explore the role of social media in changing the behavior of tourists and the choice of a destination. Despite the massive popularity of social media, the studies with a comprehensive set of driving constructs along with indicators of social media regarding the changing behavior of tourists are lacking in the literature. Therefore, framed by the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the present study fulfills this research gap by developing a set of driving constructs and carrying out an empirical analysis by collecting data from millennials in the selected universities of the Czech Republic. Through the non-random sampling technique, precisely convenience sampling, 261 valid responses were received, and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was performed to achieve the objectives of this study. The results indicate that social media channels have a significant impact on behavioral intention and the actual behavior of tourists (significant direct and indirect effect). The constructs tourist information search and tourism promotion were partially supported toward predicting the behavior of tourists. Control–variables related to socio-economic characteristics such as gender and educational level also have a significant impact in determining the actual behavior of tourists. Hence, overall, the study concludes with the significant and considerable impact of social media on the behavior of tourists. The contributions of the study and future directions are discussed at the end of the paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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22 pages, 982 KiB  
Article
Determinant Factors Influencing Thai Tourists’ Intentions to Use Social Media for Travel Planning
by Ekkapong Cheunkamon, Sajjakaj Jomnonkwao and Vatanavongs Ratanavaraha
Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7252; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187252 - 04 Sep 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 6962
Abstract
Currently, information technology plays an important role in the tourism industry. Tourists like to use social media more widely for their travel planning, which affects the high competition between entrepreneurs while facing the challenge of improving the quality of data services provided through [...] Read more.
Currently, information technology plays an important role in the tourism industry. Tourists like to use social media more widely for their travel planning, which affects the high competition between entrepreneurs while facing the challenge of improving the quality of data services provided through social media. This study developed a model of the relationships between structure factors that affect intentions to use social media for travel planning. The said model integrates the technology acceptance model (TAM) theory, the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and trust and satisfaction factors. In reference to a survey of 1333 samples from domestic tourists who used social media through their smartphone, it was found that satisfaction, attitudes, subjective norms, and perception can be used to control behavior, with a positively direct effect on intentions of use. In addition, we examined the indirect effect on intentions of use. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and subjective norms had a positively significant indirect effect on intentions of use. These research results allow tourism entrepreneurs to precisely understand the stimulating factors of tourists’ intentions to use social media for travel-planning decisions, which will help lead to the development of tourism-marketing strategies and the support of sustainable competition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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19 pages, 817 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Role of Web 4.0 and 5.0 in the Sustainable Tourism Ecosystem of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
by Nguyen Thien Duy, Subhra R. Mondal, Nguyen Thi Thanh Van, Pham Tien Dzung, Doan Xuan Huy Minh and Subhankar Das
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7140; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12177140 - 01 Sep 2020
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5936
Abstract
This research discusses the role of Web 4.0 and 5.0 devices on the commercial sustainability for tourism in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. The study adopts a tourist perspective regarding the future implementation of Web 4.0 and 5.0 devices, focusing on the [...] Read more.
This research discusses the role of Web 4.0 and 5.0 devices on the commercial sustainability for tourism in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. The study adopts a tourist perspective regarding the future implementation of Web 4.0 and 5.0 devices, focusing on the service quality of various tourism-associated services and assessing, in return, the extent to which the overall satisfaction and long-term patronage of tourists is affected. Usually, researchers conduct this test in various popular establishments where devices are intended for experimental use and tourists are supposed to have previous exposure to them, so that their perceptual thinking regarding the service quality of these devices can be studied. The tourists act as respondents for various establishments. We also asked subjective questions in a short interview to 10 professionals working in these establishments, which helped us in the quantitative survey process. As a mixed method study, it has covered both quantitative and qualitative aspects of the items and provided a holistic result. The results indicated that Web 4.0 and 5.0, along with the service quality offered by personnel working in the establishments, showed significant variance in holistic service evaluation for tourist satisfaction and loyalty. Very few service quality factors had a distinct variance in the output. After using a regression analysis for Web 4.0 and 5.0 devices and service quality, we found that Web 4.0 and 5.0 showed insignificant negative results. This study contributes to the incremental research on Web 1.0 to 5.0, specifically detailing how it affects tourists’ satisfaction and patronage. Moreover, from a management point of view, this study can help solve the financial riddle of various establishments in HCMCs tourism ecosystem for optimum fund management and better productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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20 pages, 556 KiB  
Article
Organizational Adoption of Social Media in the Hospitality Industry: An Integrated Approach Based on DIT and TOE Frameworks
by Adamantia Pateli, Naoum Mylonas and Aggeliki Spyrou
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7132; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12177132 - 01 Sep 2020
Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7528
Abstract
The importance of the organizational adoption of social media is increasingly raised in hospitality literature because of the recognition of Web 2.0 technologies as a significant tool for improving customer information searching and experience, as well as for enriching firm digital strategy. The [...] Read more.
The importance of the organizational adoption of social media is increasingly raised in hospitality literature because of the recognition of Web 2.0 technologies as a significant tool for improving customer information searching and experience, as well as for enriching firm digital strategy. The present study seeks to empirically explore the determinant factors that affect a hospitality firm’s decision to adopt social media by following a theoretical approach that integrates the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT) with the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Using survey data from 106 hospitality firms operating in Greece, and by applying structural equation modelling (SEM), we identify seven factors that influence the adoption of organizational social media adoption. These factors are grouped into three categories: Technological, organizational, and environmental. Out of the three groups of factors, technological features are considered as the most important ones in terms of their predicting power. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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21 pages, 42982 KiB  
Article
Tourist Attraction and Points of Interest (POIs) Using Search Engine Data: Case of Seoul
by Eunbee Gil, Yongjin Ahn and Youngsang Kwon
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 7060; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12177060 - 29 Aug 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4152
Abstract
Points of interest (POIs)—areas with a concentration of places that attract people—are important urban planning and tourism policy targets. This study aims to determine the points of interest of urban residents by analyzing big data from search engines to reveal the physical characteristics [...] Read more.
Points of interest (POIs)—areas with a concentration of places that attract people—are important urban planning and tourism policy targets. This study aims to determine the points of interest of urban residents by analyzing big data from search engines to reveal the physical characteristics of POIs. To achieve this, POI data were collected in three city centers in Seoul using a South Korean dominant portal site that includes a search engine. The most popular POIs were determined by using GIS search engine analysis frequency, and correlation and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relation between POIs and urban elements. The results revealed different POI trends in each city center. While POIs were concentrated in old, narrow streets with small attractions and mixed-use construction near Seoul City Wall (historic downtown district), they also formed around notable architectural landmarks in the newly developed Yeouido and Yeongdeungpo areas. This study found that tourism attraction took different forms in old and new areas, demonstrating that citizens are interested in both historic downtown areas and new areas, as traditional urban theorists suggest. Thus, urban planners and tourism policy makers should consider specific spatial contexts with search engines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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19 pages, 3546 KiB  
Article
Effects of Social Media on Enotourism. Two Cases Study: Okanagan Valley (Canada) and Somontano (Spain)
by F. J. Cristófol, Gorka Zamarreño Aramendia and Jordi de-San-Eugenio-Vela
Sustainability 2020, 12(17), 6705; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12176705 - 19 Aug 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4066
Abstract
The aim of this article is to analyze the social media effects on enotourism. Two territories of similar extension and with historical coincidences in their development have been selected: the Okanagan Valley, Canada, and the region of Somontano, Spain. Methodologically, an analysis of [...] Read more.
The aim of this article is to analyze the social media effects on enotourism. Two territories of similar extension and with historical coincidences in their development have been selected: the Okanagan Valley, Canada, and the region of Somontano, Spain. Methodologically, an analysis of the content on Twitter has been performed, collecting 1377 tweets. The conclusion is that wineries create sentimental and experiential links with the users, avoiding commercial communications. Specifically, Okanagan wineries establish a relevant conversation network on Twitter based on the high percentage of responses, which is 31.3%, but this is not so in the case of Somontano, which is 12.8%. The tourist attractions most used to create a bond are the wine landscape and the gastronomy in the case of both territories. The tourism sustainability variable remains a minor matter in the emission of messages on Twitter. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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17 pages, 575 KiB  
Article
The Role of Social Media in Health Safety Evaluation of a Tourism Destination throughout the Travel Planning Process
by Claudia-Elena Țuclea, Diana-Maria Vrânceanu and Carmen-Eugenia Năstase
Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6661; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166661 - 18 Aug 2020
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 6115
Abstract
This research aims at identifying the role of social media in evaluating the attractiveness of a tourism destination, with special emphasis on the health safety of the destination. Consistent with this objective, a survey has been carried out on a sample of 675 [...] Read more.
This research aims at identifying the role of social media in evaluating the attractiveness of a tourism destination, with special emphasis on the health safety of the destination. Consistent with this objective, a survey has been carried out on a sample of 675 Romanian social media users. The research results led to the development of a model based on structural equation modeling. The model includes nine latent variables that were structured taking into account different behavioral aspects related to the role social media has in travel planning, as well as for evaluating the health safety of a tourism destination. The main findings suggest that the trust in social media for tourism information made people become more interested in communicating through this means and to consider it more useful throughout the travel planning process. When choosing a travel destination, the more involved a tourist is in the decision making process, the greater the attention they pay to social media. The perceived usefulness of social media in travel planning has a significant influence on intentions to choose a tourism destination. As the importance assigned to the health safety of tourism destination increases, social media plays a more active role in travel by creating trust in this means in order to obtain sanitary safety information. People that intend to use social media for finding information on the health safety of a tourism destination are more likely to choose that destination for their vacation. The managerial implications of this paper regard the communication strategies adopted by tourism services suppliers or by some public authorities aimed at stimulating an efficient usage of social media so as to increase the buying intentions for tourism destinations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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13 pages, 1033 KiB  
Article
Airbnb Is Customers’ Choice: Empirical Findings from a Survey
by Chrysa Agapitou, Anna Liana, Dimitrios Folinas and Aggeliki Konstantoglou
Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6136; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12156136 - 30 Jul 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5381
Abstract
The main objective of this paper is to identify the incentives (strengths) that attract tourists to use the Airbnb platform. Moreover, Airbnb tourists’ expectations are compared to the services provided by hotels in order to assess their possible weaknesses. Via a quantitative survey [...] Read more.
The main objective of this paper is to identify the incentives (strengths) that attract tourists to use the Airbnb platform. Moreover, Airbnb tourists’ expectations are compared to the services provided by hotels in order to assess their possible weaknesses. Via a quantitative survey that includes the exploration of the knowledge and use of this platform, a comparative analysis of the levels of agreement, along with a disagreement with the various incentives, are identified in order to highlight how important the practical factors for Airbnb’s choice are. The results show that the hotel industry is actually exposed to Airbnb’s existence and clearly disputes the statement as to whether Aibnb complements or just competes with traditional accommodations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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18 pages, 1572 KiB  
Article
Industrial Heritage 2.0: Internet Presence and Development of the Electronic Commerce of Industrial Tourism
by Eduard Cristobal-Fransi, Natalia Daries, Eva Martin-Fuentes and Yolanda Montegut-Salla
Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 5965; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12155965 - 24 Jul 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3605
Abstract
The role that information and communication technologies (ICTs) play in business management is currently a topic of increasing interest. Web 2.0 has emerged as an important source of innovation that contributes to organizational performance and improving the competitiveness of the tourism industry. However, [...] Read more.
The role that information and communication technologies (ICTs) play in business management is currently a topic of increasing interest. Web 2.0 has emerged as an important source of innovation that contributes to organizational performance and improving the competitiveness of the tourism industry. However, evidence has been found that the tourism industry encounters difficulties when it comes to adopting these technologies and effectively applying them to e-commerce. The aim of this study is to analyze whether the websites belonging to industrial tourism facilitate effective communication with their target audiences. To this end, we propose and implement a model for analyzing websites based on the content analysis technique, considering the dimensions of information, communication, e-commerce, and additional Functions. This model is applied to 128 tourism resources in Catalonia with the aim of identifying opportunities arising from the use of Web 2.0 tools and addressing identified weaknesses and thus enabling more competitive management in the industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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17 pages, 886 KiB  
Article
Evaluating How ‘Smart’ Brașov, Romania Can Be Virtually via a Mobile Application for Cultural Tourism
by Arabela Briciu, Victor-Alexandru Briciu and Androniki Kavoura
Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5324; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12135324 - 01 Jul 2020
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4405
Abstract
Global urbanization brings the urge to identify the most intelligent methods to cope with the challenges arising in the modern society. Sustainable and smart cities are the new target for urban development; their representatives are being forced to identify and develop new strategies [...] Read more.
Global urbanization brings the urge to identify the most intelligent methods to cope with the challenges arising in the modern society. Sustainable and smart cities are the new target for urban development; their representatives are being forced to identify and develop new strategies to increase their city’s performance and ensure that it endures over time. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) contributes to this purpose. Brașov is one of the cities in Romania for which the process of modernization started years ago, and it is currently developing as a smart city. This paper focuses on the development of the city in terms of cultural tourism solutions by presenting a case study on the use of virtual reality with a mobile application and its evaluation on cultural heritage sites. The original contribution of the paper is to describe and analyze the quality of the mobile application by using a proposed analysis grid to identify the main elements of this app. The main findings suggest that the application may bring authenticity of experience through the lens of heritage preservation for further user engagement and participation in real-time, while suggestions are made for future enhancement. Implications are discussed for a) destination managers, b) for developers to improve the general quality of the mobile application in terms of design and features and to implement changes in the near future, and c) for visitors who engage in real-time and co-create experiences. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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18 pages, 472 KiB  
Article
Push and Pull Travel Motivation: Segmentation of the Greek Market for Social Media Marketing in Tourism
by Christina Katsikari, Leonidas Hatzithomas, Thomas Fotiadis and Dimitrios Folinas
Sustainability 2020, 12(11), 4770; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12114770 - 11 Jun 2020
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 15624
Abstract
The intense competition in the tourism sector increasingly pushes tourism destination marketers to seek more effective promotional practices, so that they remain competitive and attract more visitors. The fast expansion of the Internet and social media provides the opportunity for destination marketers to [...] Read more.
The intense competition in the tourism sector increasingly pushes tourism destination marketers to seek more effective promotional practices, so that they remain competitive and attract more visitors. The fast expansion of the Internet and social media provides the opportunity for destination marketers to approach potential tourists in a simple and cost-effective way. While managing the official pages of destinations on social media, the basic question that arises is the configuration of the content, and how attractive this content could be for potential tourists. The purpose of this study is to investigate what elements of a destination, when displayed on social media, could be attractive factors for tourists. Through the analysis of push and pull tourism motivation factors in particular, this study focuses on the segmentation of the Greek market for those traveling abroad and the emergence of the basic elements that could attract each segment through social media. The respondents have been classified into four segments, according to the motives that more greatly influence their desire to travel. This analysis also shows the important relationships between these segments and the pull motivation factors on social media. The study concludes with findings and suggestions that can contribute to the planning of an effective social media marketing plan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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18 pages, 450 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Smart Technologies on Customer Journey in Tourist Attractions within the Smart Tourism Management Framework
by Shiwei Shen, Marios Sotiriadis and Yuwen Zhang
Sustainability 2020, 12(10), 4157; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12104157 - 19 May 2020
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 9985
Abstract
Nowadays, smartness and smart management of tourism destinations and suppliers are becoming a top priority and big challenge. This article focuses on tourist attractions and aims at exploring how smart technologies influence the customer journey. The main research question is how smart technologies [...] Read more.
Nowadays, smartness and smart management of tourism destinations and suppliers are becoming a top priority and big challenge. This article focuses on tourist attractions and aims at exploring how smart technologies influence the customer journey. The main research question is how smart technologies are influencing the tourists’ visit experience. The study takes a consumer behavior perspective with a specific focus on the visit cycle (prospective, active, and reflective phases), based on the theoretical foundations of customer journey process model. First, a research framework was elaborated, encompassing three hypotheses. Then, this model was empirically tested and validated by means of a quantitative research using as a study site the Ningbo Museum, Ningbo, China. This investigation allows us to get insights into consumer behavior, which is useful for tourist attraction to become ‘smarter’. The study’s findings indicate that smart technologies have an influence on the customer journey at all three phases, the most significant being at the prospective and active phases, without neglecting the reflective one. This article extends our knowledge by providing new insights into the influence of smart technologies that have theoretical and marketing implications for tourist attraction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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16 pages, 2205 KiB  
Article
Determinants of Guest Experience in Airbnb: A Topic Modeling Approach Using LDA
by Ian Sutherland and Kiattipoom Kiatkawsin
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3402; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083402 - 22 Apr 2020
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 6391
Abstract
This study inductively analyzes the topics of interest that drive customer experience and satisfaction within the sharing economy of the accommodation sector. Using a dataset of 1,086,800 Airbnb reviews across New York City, the text is preprocessed and latent Dirichlet allocation is utilized [...] Read more.
This study inductively analyzes the topics of interest that drive customer experience and satisfaction within the sharing economy of the accommodation sector. Using a dataset of 1,086,800 Airbnb reviews across New York City, the text is preprocessed and latent Dirichlet allocation is utilized in order to extract 43 topics of interest from the user-generated content. The topics fall into one of several categories, including the general evaluation of guests, centralized or decentralized location attributes of the accommodation, tangible and intangible characteristics of the listed units, management of the listing or unit, and service quality of the host. The deeper complex relationships between topics are explored in detail using hierarchical Ward Clustering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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21 pages, 494 KiB  
Article
Could Smart Tourists Be Sustainable and Responsible as Well? The Contribution of Social Networking Sites to Improving Their Sustainable and Responsible Behavior
by Shiwei Shen, Marios Sotiriadis and Qing Zhou
Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1470; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12041470 - 16 Feb 2020
Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7490
Abstract
A key strategic aim of tourism destinations within the smart tourism paradigm is to achieve efficient, responsible and sustainable use of tourism resources. This aim can be achieved by promoting the appropriate practices and making tourists co-managers, co-designers and co-creators of tourism experiences. [...] Read more.
A key strategic aim of tourism destinations within the smart tourism paradigm is to achieve efficient, responsible and sustainable use of tourism resources. This aim can be achieved by promoting the appropriate practices and making tourists co-managers, co-designers and co-creators of tourism experiences. This paper argues that smart tourism destinations should manage their resources in a sustainable way and that smart technologies can make their contribution. Could a smart technology such as social media/social networking sites make a contribution to sustainable tourism within the smart tourism paradigm? To address this research question, a project was carried out to explore the perceptions and attitudes of Chinese tourist consumers about the contribution of social networking sites to adopting a sustainable and responsible behavior within the context of a smart tourism framework. First a research framework encompassing three hypotheses related to the influence of social networking sites at the three main stages of the travel cycle/tourist journey was designed. An exploratory quantitative research was then carried out using the online survey technique. The study’s findings indicate that the use of social networking sites influences the smart tourists at all three stages on adoption of sustainable and responsible behavior, the most significant influence is at the first two stages. The article is completed by discussing the related conclusions and management implications in the smart tourism management framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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16 pages, 644 KiB  
Article
Museum Tourism 2.0: Experiences and Satisfaction with Shopping at the National Gallery in London
by Jun Shao, Qinlin Ying, Shujin Shu, Alastair M. Morrison and Elizabeth Booth
Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 7108; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su11247108 - 11 Dec 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5522
Abstract
The tourist shopping experience is the sum of the satisfaction or dissatisfaction from the individual attributes of purchased products and services. With the popularity of the Internet and travel review websites, more people choose to upload their tour experiences on their favorite social [...] Read more.
The tourist shopping experience is the sum of the satisfaction or dissatisfaction from the individual attributes of purchased products and services. With the popularity of the Internet and travel review websites, more people choose to upload their tour experiences on their favorite social media platforms, which can influence another’s travel planning and choices. However, there have been few investigations of social media reviews of tourist shopping experiences and especially of satisfaction with museum tourism shopping. This research analyzed the user-generated reviews of the National Gallery (NG) in London written in the English language on TripAdvisor to learn more about tourist shopping experience in museums. The Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model was used to discover the underlying themes of online reviews and keywords related to these shopping experiences. Sentiment analysis based on a purpose-developed dictionary was conducted to explore the dissatisfying aspects of tourist shopping experiences. The results provide a framework for museums to improve shopping experiences and enhance their future development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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Review

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17 pages, 4247 KiB  
Review
Web 2.0 and Destination Marketing: Current Trends and Future Directions
by Marcello Mariani
Sustainability 2020, 12(9), 3771; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12093771 - 06 May 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6327
Abstract
Over the last decade, destination marketers and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have increasingly invested in Web 2.0 technologies as a cost-effective means of promoting destinations online, in the face of drastic marketing budgets cuts. Recent scholarly and industry research has emphasized that Web [...] Read more.
Over the last decade, destination marketers and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) have increasingly invested in Web 2.0 technologies as a cost-effective means of promoting destinations online, in the face of drastic marketing budgets cuts. Recent scholarly and industry research has emphasized that Web 2.0 plays an increasing role in destination marketing. However, no comprehensive appraisal of this research area has been conducted so far. To address this gap, this study conducts a quantitative literature review to examine the extent to which Web 2.0 features in destination marketing research that was published until December 2019, by identifying research topics, gaps and future directions, and designing a theory-driven agenda for future research. The study’s findings indicate an increase in scholarly literature revolving around the adoption and use of Web 2.0 for destination marketing purposes. However, the emerging research field is fragmented in scope and displays several gaps. Most of the studies are descriptive in nature and a strong overarching conceptual framework that might help identify critical destination marketing problems linked to Web 2.0 technologies is missing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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15 pages, 1732 KiB  
Review
Systematic Review of Smart Tourism Research
by Ben Haobin Ye, Huiyue Ye and Rob Law
Sustainability 2020, 12(8), 3401; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12083401 - 22 Apr 2020
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 12526
Abstract
In recent decades, smart tourism has been attracting attention from practitioners and scholars. The current study used multiple analysis methods to conduct a systematic review of 124 related articles on smart tourism. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify 10 categories of smart tourism [...] Read more.
In recent decades, smart tourism has been attracting attention from practitioners and scholars. The current study used multiple analysis methods to conduct a systematic review of 124 related articles on smart tourism. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify 10 categories of smart tourism articles. Results showed that the largest proportion focus on the influence of technology on tourists’ perceptions, behaviors, and experiences. Co-occurrence analysis was performed to investigate the development trend of keywords used by academics in the last five years, while co-authorship (country) analysis was conducted to examine the collaborative relationship between different countries. The research regions, industries, methods, and theories applied in these articles were also analyzed. Theoretical and practical/managerial implications, as well as future research directions, were provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Web 2.0 in Tourism and Hospitality Industries)
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