An Evaluation of the Performance of Hotel Web Sites Using the Managers' Views about Online Information Services

This paper describes a quantitative method of measurement and evaluation of the information provided by hotel websites. It aims to measure the richness of specific and comprehensive information dimensions, which as a whole constitute the information services offered through the web. Data from an extended web search along with responses of hotel managers regarding the importance of the offered information services are used. A conceptual model that describes the hotel web sites information features is used in order to summarize the data and to present the overall information volume offered. The applied model combines seven data dimensions: facilities information, customer contact information, reservation and prices information, surrounding area information, management of the web site, company information and communication. Hotel managers’ perceptions are used to weight the relative importance of both the information services and the seven dimensions. We apply the model to Greek hotel web sites. Greek hotels make small use of their websites potential. They are rated low level with respect to crucial dimensions such as reservation and prices information, medium regarding facilities and customer contact information. The overall volume of offered information only reaches the one third of its top rating score.