Sharing tourism experiences in social media: A literature review and a set of suggested business strategies
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 9 January 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: to perform a synthesis of academic research published between 2009 and 2016 regarding the changes in tourism consumer behavior brought about by the use of social media (SM); and to suggest a set of strategies for tourism businesses to seize opportunities and deal with resulting challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
A volume of 146 peer-reviewed journal articles were retrieved from two major databases. Content analysis of this academic research has been performed, exploring the effects of online reviews on tourism consumers and providers.
Findings
The content analysis identified three main research themes that were investigated by scholars and classified into two major categories, namely, consumer perspective and provider perspective: the antecedents (factors motivating and influencing tourists); the influence of online reviews on consumer behaviour; and the impact of these reviews on tourism businesses (providers’ perspective).
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on a literature review and outcomes reported by previous studies; hence, the suggestions are indicative rather than conclusive. Some publication sources were not included.
Practical implications
This paper suggests a range of adequate strategies, along with operational actions, formulated for industry practitioners in the fields of management and marketing.
Originality/value
It provides an update of the state of published academic research into SM and an integrated set of management and marketing strategies for tourism providers in seizing the opportunities and dealing with the challenges raised in a digital context.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank the editor and four anonymous reviewers for providing constructive and helpful comments on earlier versions of this paper. They all contributed to improving the quality of the article.
Citation
Sotiriadis, M.D. (2017), "Sharing tourism experiences in social media: A literature review and a set of suggested business strategies", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 179-225. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-05-2016-0300
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited