ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING TRAVEL CONSUMER SATISFACTION AS REVEALED BY ONLINE COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS

Authors

  • Olimpia I. BAN University of Oradea
  • Alexandru COSTANGIOARĂ University of Oradea
  • Alexandru Mircea NEDELEA Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava

Keywords:

e-WOM, tourism, evaluation, satisfaction, amfostacolo.ro

Abstract

The objective of the present empirical study is to determine the factors influencing the tourism consumer satisfaction, as it results from the evaluations posted on virtual platforms. The communication platform chosen as study is the Romanian website Amfostacolo.ro. In this case, the travel consumer satisfaction is expressed by the score of the ratings posted on the virtual platform Amfostacolo.ro and the decision to recommend or not the unit / destination. Considering the peculiarities of the communication platform studied, the elements influencing the score indicating satisfaction there can be identified as components of tourism supply and the characteristics of the reviewer. Data processing has been carried out with ordinary least squares (OLS), structural equation modeling (confirmatory factor analysis, path analysis), cluster analisys and polytomous logistic regression.

The results broadly confirm the hypotheses, namely that: the type of stay and the age of the reviewer influence the satisfaction of the consumer more than the destination and number of stars of the accommodation, the age group of the reviewer influences the destination yet it is uncertain about the influence of the variables related to the holiday (the type of stay and the number of stars of the accommodation), the meal service influences more than other attributes the consumer satisfaction and the recommendation of the reviewer is influenced by the characteristics related to his person and the holiday consumed.

Author Biography

Alexandru Mircea NEDELEA, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava

Alexandru NEDELEA, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University Stefan cel Mare of Suceava, Romania. He has written extensively for a wide range of academic and professional audience: Small and Medium Enterprises in Contemporary Society (KMV, Germany), International Tourism: World Geography and Developmental Perspectives (Abhijeet Publications, New Delhi, India), Tourism Marketing (Derc Publishing House, Tewksbury, USA), Knowledge Management Practices, Comparative Tourism Marketing Case Studies (Abhijeet Publications, New Delhi, India). He is editor-in-chief of the journals Ecoforum and Revista de turism 9Journal of Tourism: Studies and Research in Tourism) and member of the editorial board of the journals Amfiteatru Economic (indexed in Thomson Reuters - ISI Web of Knowledge), International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, Journal of Tourism: An International Research Journal, Tourism Today, World Journal of Ecotourism, Tourism Issues, European Journal of Tourism Research, Environmental Economics. He has been accorded membership in scientific associations like International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism, International Association on Public and Non Profit Marketing, Romanian Marketing Association, International Network for Research in Consumer Behaviour Studies, Regional Science Association International, World Research Club (WRC), American Society for Public Administration, European Association of Research on Services (RESER), Marketing and Tourism Research Interest Committees - EuroMed Research Business Institute (EMRBI), Centre International de Recherche et d`Etudes Touristiques (CIRET). He is coordinator of Asian Studies Club Romania-China (www.romania-china.ro), Voyage Club (www.clubvoiaj.ro), Bucovina Tourism Marketing Center (www.tourisminbucovina.ro), Volunteer Order (www.ordinulvoluntarilor.ro) and Marketing Club (www.marketingclub.ro)Contact:E-mail: alnedelea(at)yahoo.com Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Romania Faculty of Economic Sciences and Public Administration Economy, Business Administration and Tourism Department 720229, Suceava, 13, Universitatii Street Phone: + 40 230 522978 int.297

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Published

10.07.2016

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2016)

Section

Management, Marketing and Business Administration

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