Perceived image study with online data from social media: the case of boutique hotels in China
| Published date | 10 June 2019 |
| Pages | 950-967 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-11-2018-0483 |
| Date | 10 June 2019 |
| Author | Wanfei Wang,Shun Ying,Jiaying Lyu,Xiaoguang Qi |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information systems,Data management systems,Knowledge management,Knowledge sharing,Management science & operations,Supply chain management,Supply chain information systems,Logistics,Quality management/systems |
Perceived image study with online
data from social media: the case
of boutique hotels in China
Wanfei Wang
Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, School of Management,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Shun Ying
Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, School of Management,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Jiaying Lyu
Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, School of Management,
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, and
Xiaoguang Qi
Wolfson College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the multi-faceted dimensions of Chinese travellers’
image of boutique hotels with a large amount of online textual data from social media (53,427 reviews written
from 2014 to 2018), reinforcing the value creation of user-generated content via social media.
Design/methodology/approach –With the aid of Python, a computer language, online textual reviews
(53,427 reviews) of 86 high-end boutique hotels in seven cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing,
Chengdu, Qingdao and Sanya) were collected from the top-ranked online travel agency in China, Ctrip.com.
Then, the overall perceived image of boutique hotels was revealed with the aid of Python.
Findings –The results showed multiple dimensions of the image of boutique hotels. The overall image can
be grouped into eight dimensions (room, service, food, environment, entertainment, location, price and value,
and uniqueness). An affective image based on eight dimensions was further developed in the Chinese
boutique hotel context. It appears that online data from social media are beneficial for hotel managers to learn
travellers’overall perceptions of boutique hotels and help put more effective management strategies in place
in the hospitality industry.
Research limitations/implications –The relationship between cognitive image and affective image
should be further investigated in future research. Theoretical implications are discussed from both cognitive
image and affective image perspectives in the boutique hotel context. Managerial implications are highlighted
to help industry managers understand the travellers’perceptions of the hotels, via online data from social
media, and put more effective hotel strategies in hospitality industry.
Originality/value –By using textual online da ta from social media, th is paper deconstructs bo th the
cognitive image and the affect ive image of boutique hotels. The di mensions of the most frequentl y
mentioned concepts re lated to the Chinese boutique hotel ind ustry are profoundly deconstructed, a s is the
uniqueness of the image of bouti que hotels. The work is valuable for pro moting effective marke ting
strategies in the hot el industry.
Keywords Textual data, Social media, Cognitive image, Affective image, Boutique hotel
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
User-generated social media content is revolutionizing the interaction between users and
companies (Moreno et al., 2018). Millions of users provide collective knowledge, such as users’
evaluations of the performance of companies, destinations and hotels (Zhou et al., 2014), or users’
feelings towards them, such as liking or disliking them or finding them pleasant, comfortable or
amazing (He et al., 2015), via social media. Opinions, viewpoints and feelings from online data
offer unprecedented opportunities for companies and researchers to mine valuable knowledge
Industrial Management & Data
Systems
Vol. 119 No. 5, 2019
pp. 950-967
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0263-5577
DOI 10.1108/IMDS-11-2018-0483
Received 5 November 2018
Revised 15 January 2019
Accepted 2 February 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0263-5577.htm
950
IMDS
119,5
for strategic positioning and theory deliberation (H e etal., 2015). Hospitality i ndustry businesses
(e.g. hotels, restaurants, casinos, airlines, car rental agencies and travel agencies) rely on social
media platforms to market their products and services and raise service quality by holding
businesses accountable to their customers (Zhang and Mao, 2012). A company with a great
product or service does not have to wait long to reap the fruits of their marketing labours
because their enthusiastic customers become members of a built-in marketing team. The use of
social media goes beyond simple internet marketing campaigns. Such use has become a key tool
used for continuous customer relationship management and image management (Lwin and
Phau, 2013). Businesses in the hospitality industry can readily engage consumers in a
high-speed, personal relationship with the company.
Destination image is a critical concept in the tourism behaviour, marketing and
management literature. Researchers have made great contributions to theory testing and
empirical validations (Um and Crompton, 1990). It has been acknowledged that destination
image exerts a profound impact on tourists’experiences (Brunner et al., 2008), satisfaction
(Lai et al., 2009), loyalty (Jani and Han, 2014) and intentions to return (Ryu et al., 2008).
However, destination image has thus far been treated as a single attribute in most of the
previous studies. It was very difficult for traditional methods (questionnaire surveys or
interviews) with limited data to dissect the components of destination image. Therefore,
user-generated social media content offers great opportunities to zoom in on the
multi-faceted dimensionality of destination image.
This paper chose boutique hotels as a case study to reveal social media value creation by
dissecting destination image into multiple dimensions and uncovering travellers’overall
perceptions of boutique hotels. The overall purpose of the study was to highlight the
significance of social media in investigating travellers’overall perceived image of boutique
hotels. By analysing online textual data, this study deconstructed the cognitive image and
affective image of Chinese boutique hotels. The uniqueness of the boutique hotel experience
was also investigated. Finally, the value of social media in promoting effective marketing
strategies in the hotel industry was emphasised.
2. Literature review
2.1 Destination images towards hotels
Destinationimage was generally definedas the entire impression ofa place (Hunter, 2016). For
instance, image included the beliefs, evaluations and impressions formed by external factors
(Um and Crompton, 1990). The overall impression of a certain product brand was related to
positive or negative evaluations (Beerli and Martin, 2004). Destination image can be
categorised into cognitive image and affective image (Lawson and Band-Bovy, 1977).
Cognitive image has been studied in various dimensions (Chaudhary, 2000; Grosspietsch,
2006), and it refersto travellers’beliefs about a destination’s attributes(Baloglu and Mccleary,
1999). Cognitiveimage can be measured by the attractive components of a certain place, such
as beautiful scenery, entertainment, and memorable experie (Chen et al., 2016). Additionally,
consumers’cognitive image in a certain research context has been able to provide specific
information and help position strategies (Chen, 2001). Moreover, cognitive image is crucial to
the implications of the quality and attractiveness of a certain place (Chi and Qu, 2008).
Affective image is related to travellers’feelings attached to a destination (Chew and Jahari,
2014). Russel and Pratt (1980) conceptualised the affective image into eight variables,
including “pleasant”,“exciting”,“arousing”,“distressing”,“unpleasant”,“gloomy”,“sleepy”
and “relaxing”. As the affective image reflects individuals’emotional responses to a certain
destination (Pan et al., 2014), it plays a critical role in evaluating a place (Kock et al., 2016).
In the service industry, image studies are mainly conducted to explore a destination’s
relationship with satisfaction, loyalty, return intention, behavioural intentions, decision
making, personality, ambience, perceived value, etc. (Brunner et al., 2008). In the hotel
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Perceived
image study
with online
data
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