Areas of Interest for a CSR Certificate on Touristic Websites: An Eye-Tracking Experiment Using the Example of TourCert

Abstract

The way that tourists give visual attention to websites is a key topic in tourism research as it can determine the success of a tourism business. In particular under the current regular ‘information flood’ potential customers switch off their attention to potential facilitators for a buying decision such as a certification that demonstrates the positive environmental, social-economic behaviour of a tour operator. Recently, sustainability has become important in the relationship between buyer and seller of touristic products. At the same time, the number of logos (and certifications) on websites that certify a particular sustainable product management has increased. It is therefore important for certified sustainable businesses in tourism to gather information on how far potential customers recognise a particular certificate to facilitate a positive buying response. The chapter aims to show if the strategic location of a certification symbol on a website as well as the provided information about the certificate can increase the attention to the certificate and therefore facilitate a booking decision through the application of eye-tracking research.