Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Review of Hospitality Website Design Frameworks

  • Conference paper
Book cover Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2007

Abstract

An effective website is vital for a hotel to strengthen its customer relationships and harvest online sales. Yet despite the proliferation of hotel website studies, research seems to have under-emphasised a fundamental first step, the development of valid and reliable constructs and features for evaluating websites. Based on a literature review, expert judgement and in-depth interviews, this study proposes a framework for evaluating hotel websites. The results are five dimensions of website quality — information and process, value added, relationships, trust, and design and usability — reflected by 74 websites features. The paper closes with a proposed process for developing a website evaluation framework and future research opportunities.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Appendix A: Tourism and Hospitality studies in this study

  • Baloglu, S., & Pekcan, Y. A. (2006). The Website Design and Internet Site Marketing Practices of Upscale and Luxury Hotels in Turkey. Tourism Management, 27(1), 171–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benckendorff, P. J., & Black, N. L. (2000). Destination Marketing on the Internet: A Case Study of Australian Regional Tourism Authorities. Journal of Tourism Studies, 11(1), 11–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum, V., & Fallon, J. (2001). Welsh Visitor Attraction Websites: Multipurpose Tools or Technological Tokenism. Information Technology & Tourism, 4(3–4), 191–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cano, V., & Prentice, R. (1998). Opportunities for Endearment to Place through Electronic Visiting: WWW Homepages and Tourism Promotion of Scotland. Tourism Management, 19(1), 67–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung, T., & Law, R. (2003). Developing a performance indicator for hotel websites. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 22(1), 119–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doolin, B., Burgess, L., & Cooper, J. (2002). Evaluating the Use of the Web for Tourism Marketing: A Case Study from New Zealand. Tourism Management, 23(5), 557–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Essawy, M. (2006). Testing the Usability of Hotel Websites: The Springboard for Customer Relationship Building. Information Technology and Tourism, 8, 47–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feng, R., Morrison, A. M., & Ismail, J. A. (2003). East vs. West: A Comparison of Online Destination Marketing in China and the USA. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 10(1), 43–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeong, M., Oh, H., & Gregoire, M. (2003). Conceptualizing Web Site Quality and its Consequences in the Lodging Industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 22(2), 161–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Küster, I. (2006). Relational Content of Travel and Tourism Websites. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 11(2), 119–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law, R., & Cheung, C. (2006). A Study of the Perceived Importance of the Overall Website Quality of Different Classes of Hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(3), 525–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law, R., & Hsu, C. (2006). Importance of Hotel Website Dimensions and Attributes: Perceptions of Online Browsers and Online Purchasers. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 30(3), 295–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law, R., & Wong, J. (2003). Successful Factors for a Travel Web Site: Perceptions of Online Purchasers in Hong Kong. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 27(1), 118–124.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, A. M., Taylor, J. S., & Douglas, A. (2004). Website Evaluation in Tourism and Hospitality: The Art Is Not Yet Stated. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 17(2/3), 233–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, A. M., Taylor, J. S., Morrison, A. J., & Morrison, A. D. (1999). Marketing Small Hotels on the World Wide Web. Information Technology & Tourism, 2(2), 97–113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Forrest, E. J., Wotring, C. E., & Brymer, R. A. (1996). Hotel Management and Marketing on the Internet. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 37(3), 70–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Ho, P., & Chan, C. (2005). Competitive Analyses for Marketing Electronic Wine Tourism. International Journal of Wine Marketing, 17(3), 39–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Olaru, D., & Schegg, R. (2006). Investigating the Evolution of Hotel Internet Adoption. Information Technology & Tourism., forthcoming.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Olaru, D., Schegg, R., & Frey, S. (2003). The Bandwagon Effect: Swiss Hotels’ Website and E-mail Management. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 44(1), 71–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scharl, A., Wöber, K. W., & Bauer, C. (2004). An Integrated Approach to Measure Web Site Effectiveness in the European Hotel Industry. Information Technology & Tourism, 6(4), 257–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schegg, R., Steiner, T., Frey, S., & Murphy, J. (2002). Benchmarks of Web Site Design and Marketing by Swiss Hotels. Information Technology & Tourism, 5(2), 73–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • So, S. I., & Morrison, A. M. (2004). Internet Marketing in Tourism in Asia: An Evaluation of the Performance of East Asian National Tourism Organization Websites. Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing, 11(4), 93–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, C. S. (2002). The Websites of International Tourist Hotels and Tour Wholesalers in Taiwan. Tourism Management, 23(2), 155–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2005). Identifying the Success Factors of Web-based Marketing Strategy: An Investigation of Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the United States. Journal of Travel Research, 43(3), 1–11.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, Y. L., Gretzel, U., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2006). The Role of Information Technology Use in American Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Tourism Management, 27(2), 326–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

References

  • Aladwani, A. M., & Palvia, P. C. (2002). Developing and Validating an Instrument for Measuring User-Perceived Web Quality. Information & Management, 39(6), 467–476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagozzi, R. P. (1981). An Examination of the Validity of Two Models of Attitude. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 16(3), 323–359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baloglu, S., & Pekcan, Y. A. (2006). The Website Design and Internet Site Marketing Practices of Upscale and Luxury Hotels in Turkey. Tourism Management, 27(1), 171–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, S. J., & Vidgen, R. (2001). An Evaluation of Cyber-Bookshops: The WebQual Method. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(1), 11–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barwise, P., Elberse, A., & Hammond, K. (2002). Marketing and the Internet: A Research Review. In B. A. Weitz & R. Wensley (Eds.), Handbook of Marketing (pp. 527–558). London: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Q., Clifford, S. J., & Wells, W. D. (2002). Attitude toward the Site II: New Information. Journal of Advertising Research, 42(2), 33–45.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Q., & Wells, W. D. (1999). Attitude toward the Site. Journal of Advertising Research, 39(5), 27–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbitt, B. J., Taylor, J. S., & Han, Y. (2003). Trust and Hospitality: The Art Is Not Yet Stated. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 2(3), 203–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, J. L., & Dale, B. G. (2002). Key Quality Factors in Web Site Design and Use: An Examination. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 19(7), 862–888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doolin, B., Burgess, L., & Cooper, J. (2002). Evaluating the Use of the Web for Tourism Marketing: A Case Study from New Zealand. Tourism Management, 23(5), 557–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heinze, N., & Hu, Q. (2006). The Evolution of Corporate Website Presence: A Longitudinal Study of Large American Companies. International Journal of Information Management, 26(4), 313–325.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hinkin, T. R. (1995). A Review of Scale Development Practices in the Study of Organization. Journal of Management, 21(5), 967–988.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, J. (1997). Evaluating the World Wide Web: A Global Study of Commercial Sites. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication (Online), 3(1), http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol3/issuel/ho.html

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, D. L., & Novak, T. P. (1996). Marketing in Hypermedia Computer Mediated Environments: Conceptual Foundations. Journal of Marketing, 60(3), 50–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong, S., & Kim, J. (2004). Architectural Criteria for Website Evaluation-Conceptual Framework and Empirical Validation. Behaviour and Information Technology, 23(5), 337–357.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Jacsó, P. (2005). Google Scholar: The Pros and the Cons. Online Information Review, 29(2), 208–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, K. L., & Misic, M. M. (1999). Benchmarking: A Tool for Website Evaluation and Improvement. Internet Research, 9(5), 383–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, S., & Stoel, L. (2004). Dimensional Hierarchy of Retail Website Quality. Information and Management, 41(5), 619–633.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krippendorff, K. (1980). Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology. California: SAGE Publications Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Law, R., & Cheung, C. (2006). A Study of the Perceived Importance of the Overall Website Quality of Different Classes of Hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(3), 525–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Law, R., & Hsu, C. (2006). Importance of Hotel Website Dimensions and Attributes: Perceptions of Online Browsers and Online Purchasers. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 30(3), 295–312.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, J. C. C., & Lu, H. (2000). Towards an Understanding of the Behavioural Intention to Use a Website. International Journal of Information Management, 20(3), 197–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C., & Arnett, K. P. (2000). Exploring the Factors Associated with Web site Success in the Context of Electronic Commerce. Information & Management, 38(1), 23–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, C., Arnett, K. P., Capella, L. M., & Beatty, R. C. (1997). Websites for the Fortune 500 Companies: Facing Customers through Homepages. Information & Management, 31(6), 335–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhotra, N., Hall, J., Shaw, M., & Oppenheim, P. (2002). Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation. New South Wales, Australia: Pearson Education Australia Pty Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillan, S. J. (2000). The Microscope and the Moving Target: The Challenge of Applying Content Analysis to the World Wide Web. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 77(1), 80–98.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Moe, W. W. (2003). Buying, Searching, or Browsing: Differentiating Between Online Shoppers Using In-Store Navigational Clickstream. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 13(1&2), 29–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, A. M., Taylor, J. S., & Douglas, A. (2004). Website Evaluation in Tourism and Hospitality: The Art Is Not Yet Stated. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 17(2/3), 233–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Ho, P., & Chan, C. (2005). Competitive Analyses for Marketing Electronic Wine Tourism. International Journal of Wine Marketing, 17(3), 39–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murphy, J., Olaru, D., Schegg, R., & Frey, S. (2003). The Bandwagon Effect: Swiss Hotels’ Website and E-mail Management. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 44(1), 71–87.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Connor, P., & Frew, A. J. (2002). The Future of Hotel Electronic Distribution. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 43(3), 33–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmer, J. W. (2002). Web Site Usability, Design, and Performance Metrics. Information Systems Research, 13(2), 151–167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Malhotra, A. (2005). E-S-QUAL: A Multiple-Item Scale for Assessing Electronic Service Quality. Journal of Service Research, 7(3), 213–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piccoli, G., Brohman, M. K., Watson, R. T., & Parasuraman, A. (2004). Net-Based Customer Service Systems: Evolution and Revolution in Website Functionalities. Decision Sciences, 35(3), 423–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ping, Z., & von Drand, G. M. (2001). User Expectations and Rankings of Quality Factors in Different Web Site Domains. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(2), 9–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ranganathan, C., & Ganapathy, S. (2002). Key Dimensions of Business-to-Consumer Websites. Information and Management, 39(6), 457–465.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scharl, A., Wöber, K. W., & Bauer, C. (2004). An Integrated Approach to Measure Web Site Effectiveness in the European Hotel Industry. Information Technology & Tourism, 6(4), 257–271.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schegg, R., Steiner, T., Frey, S., & Murphy, J. (2002). Benchmarks of Web Site Design and Marketing by Swiss Hotels. Information Technology & Tourism, 5(2), 73–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • So, S. I., & Morrison, A. M. (2004). Internet Marketing in Tourism in Asia: An Evaluation of the Performance of East Asian National Tourism Organization Websites. Journal of Hospitality and Leisure Marketing, 11(4), 93–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Straub, D. W. (1989). Validating Instruments in MIS Research. MIS Quarterly, 13(2), 147–169.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Susser, B., & Ariga, T. (2006). Teaching E-Commerce Webpage Evaluation and Design: A Pilot Study using Tourism Destination Sites. Computers and Education, 47(4), 399–413.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Trochim, W. M. K., & Linton, R. (1986). Conceptualization for Evaluation and Planning. Evaluation and Program Planning, 9(4), 289–308.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, S. L., & Chai, S.-K. (2005). Developing and Validating a Nursing Website Evaluation Questionnaire. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 49(4), 406–413.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wan, C. S. (2002). The Websites of International Tourist Hotels and Tour Wholesalers in Taiwan. Tourism Management, 23(2), 155–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2005). Identifying the Success Factors of Web-based Marketing Strategy: An Investigation of Convention and Visitors Bureaus in the United States. Journal of Travel Research, 43(3), 1–11.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolfinbarger, M., & Gilly, M. C. (2003). eTailQ: Dimensionalizing, Measuring and Predicting eTail Quality. Journal of Retailing, 79(3), 183–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan, Y. L., Gretzel, U., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (2006). The Role of Information Technology Use in American Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Tourism Management, 27(2), 326–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, P., & von Drand, G. M. (2001). User Expectations and Rankings of Quality Factors in Different Website Domains. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(2), 9–33.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Western Australia Business School, Australia

    Noor Hazarina Hashim & Jamie Murphy

  2. School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

    Rob Law

Authors
  1. Noor Hazarina Hashim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jamie Murphy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rob Law
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Business, University of the Aegean, Chios, Greece

    Marianna Sigala

  2. Dipartimento di Informatica e Studi Aziendali, Universitá degli Studi di Trento, Trento, Italy

    Luisa Mich

  3. School of Business, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia

    Jamie Murphy

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer-Verlag Wien

About this paper

Cite this paper

Hashim, N.H., Murphy, J., Law, R. (2007). A Review of Hospitality Website Design Frameworks. In: Sigala, M., Mich, L., Murphy, J. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2007. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_21

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-69566-1_21

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-211-69564-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-211-69566-1

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation