El boca oído electrónico (eWOM) y su gestión en alojamientos estacionales

Abstract

Abstract: The development of internet and social networks made possible a new way of sharing consumer experiences: what used to happen only physically through “word of mouth” (WOM), now it is also possible digitally in electronic word of mouth (eWOM). Specifically in the travel and tourism industry, the eWOM phenomenon is radically important, since the vast majority of users today consult reviews from other users when planning their trips, which are available in online tourism agencies (OTAs) such as Booking.com. On the other hand, seasonality is frequent in the tourism sector, and brings with it problems of profitability, employment instability, and saturation, among others. In fact, in certain regions, many hotels only open their doors in the high season and closes the rest of the year. This thesis studies the situation of eWOM management in seasonal lodgings on the Argentine Atlantic coast as a potential determinant for improving its performance. Performance differences are thus identified in terms of volume and valence of eWOM, according to the type of opening scheme, according to its management, and according to the platform used. Furthermore, a managerial behavior model is also developed to understand how managers adopt eWOM management.