Channels for Searching Hotel and Travel Information

Abstract

Tourists are increasingly relying on different channels to search for hotel-related and travel-related information. However, the gravity of importance and the performance of these channels are not clear. Thus, this study evaluates the importance and performance of these channels and identifies the factors that affect the use of these channels. The findings indicated that tourists regard international online travel agencies as the most important channel for searching hotel information. By contrast, they regard social media sites as the most important channel for searching travel-related information. Significant differences were found in the web search skills and information search behaviour of tourists. The results can provide practical implications for hotel and tourism practitioners in targeting tourists more accurately.