STUDY ON SUCCESS FACTORS OF TOURISM WEBSITES

Her-Sen Doong

, Huichih Wang

and You-Yu Chen

Department of MIS, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan

Department of MIS, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, Taiwan

Keywords: Expectation disconfirmation theory, Continuance, Disconfirmation, Satisfaction, Recommendation intention,

Complaint intention.

Abstract: In the past, continuance intention is treated as the only success factor of information system. However, with

the development and prevalence of the Internet, tourism companies and the individuals can communicate

with others online. Tourism companies build websites to approach customers. People share personal

travelling experience on blogs. Continuance intention will no longer be the only success factor of

information system. This study regards recommendation intention and complaint intention as the keys of

information system, and probes into success key factors affecting tourism websites based on expectation

disconfirmation theory. It divides the disconfirmation in expectation disconfirmation theory into:

information quality disconfirmation, system quality disconfirmation, and service quality disconfirmation;

and divides the satisfaction in the theory into: information satisfaction, system satisfaction, and service

satisfaction. It further explores the success factors affecting tourism websites, and find out if the factors of

tourism websites of different attributes are different.

1 RESEARCH MOTIVES AND

PURPOSES

The explosive growth of the Internet has made it a

popular platform for providing electronic services

(e-service) (Chiu et al., 2005). Internet technology

has also changed the relationship among customers,

tourism companies and travel agencies, a whole new

set of challenges and opportunities are made

available for the tourism industry. Suppliers and

agencies of tourism industry start developing

tourism websites, they have thus obtained benefits in

reducing service costs, providing more effective

service and attracting customers (Lu et al., 2002).

Few researches in the past treat tourism websites

as information system. From the perspective of

information system, success key factor of tourism

websites is customers’ continuance use. However,

with the prevalence of Internet and blogs, virtual

communities and consumer review forums,

continuance use is no longer the only success factor

of tourism websites. Buhalis and Law (2008)

suggested that virtual communities are gradually

becoming incredibly influential in tourism as

consumers increasingly trust better their peers, rather

than marketing messages. Customers’ word of

mouth would also influence others’ views on

products or services of tourism websites.

Furthermore, evidence from previous studies shows

that loyal customers not only continue to use a

product or service, but also help to recruit more

customers through favourable word of mouth (Chea

and Luo, 2008). Dolinsky (1994) and Halstead et al.

(1993) suggested that due to negative word of mouth

(i.e. complaints), companies would not satisfy

customers’ demands by service, and customers’

repurchase intention and first-purchase customers

would be reduced. According to Blodgett et al.

(1995), customers’ negative comments on forum

would make the companies losing their customers.

Thus, it is important to learn customers’

recommendation and complaint intention of tourism

websites. This study also aims to probe into the

factors that affect customers’ continuance intention,

recommendation intention and complaint intention.

Research model is shown in Figure 1.

2 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

McKinney et al. (2002) divided satisfaction into

information quality satisfaction and system quality

Doong H., Wang H. and Chen Y..

STUDY ON SUCCESS FACTORS OF TOURISM WEBSITES.

DOI: 10.5220/0003606600730076

In Proceedings of the International Conference on e-Business (ICE-B-2011), pages 73-76

ISBN: 978-989-8425-70-6

 2011 SCITEPRESS (Science and Technology Publications, Lda.)

satisfaction, and suggested that information quality

disconfirmation positively influences information

quality satisfaction, and system quality

disconfirmation positively affects system quality

satisfaction. According to Bhattacherjee (2001),

disconfirmation is the key factor of users’ system

satisfaction with on-line banks. Finding of Roca et

al. (2006) demonstrated that disconfirmation

positively influences satisfaction.

Figure 1: Research model.

Information quality disconfirmation of tourism

websites is due to the discrepancy between

customers’ expected information quality before the

use and perceived information quality after the use.

According to past experience or reports of mass

media, customers expect to acquire rich information

from tourism websites. After using the websites, if

there is no gap between customers’ perceived real

information quality and expected one (i.e.

confirmation or positive disconfirmation), customers

will be satisfied with information quality of tourism

websites. On the contrary, if there is a gap between

information quality expectation and the real

cognition (i.e. negative disconfirmation), customers

will be unsatisfied. Customers’ views on system

quality disconfirmation and service quality

disconfirmation of tourism websites reveal the same.

Based on the above, H 1, H2 and H3 are proposed,

as shown in Figure 1.

Wixom and Todd (2005) suggested that

interaction with information system is necessary to

acquire information in the system. Thus, an

individual’s level of satisfaction with the system is

likely to influence his or her sense of satisfaction

with the information it produces. Their research

demonstrated that system satisfaction would

positively influence information satisfaction. When

customers search for or browse information on

tourism websites, they must constantly interact with

tourism websites. Customers’ system satisfaction

with tourism websites will possibly influence

information satisfaction with tourism websites.

Service on tourism websites is provided to

customers through websites. When customers cannot

find the information needed, they can access

customer service system. When customers have on-

line transaction, they would interact with website

system. Thus, customers’ system satisfaction with

tourism websites will possibly influence service

satisfaction with tourism websites. Based on the

above, H4 and H5 are proposed, as shown in Figure

Wixom and Todd (2005) suggested that users’

information satisfaction with information system

would influence users’ perceived usefulness. That is,

the higher the overall satisfaction with the

information, the more likely one will find the

application of that information useful in enhancing

work performance. They demonstrated that

information satisfaction positively influenced

perceived usefulness.

When customers have higher degree of

information satisfaction with tourism websites, it

means that information on websites meets their

demands and is interesting for them. In other words,

the information is useful for customers. Likewise,

when customers’ system satisfaction with tourism

websites is higher, it means that customers can

recognize the benefits for them from websites. For

instance, immediate responses on website can save

customers’ searching time. When the services satisfy

customers’ demands, customers will be satisfied. It

also means that services on websites benefit the

customers and influence their perceived usefulness

of tourism websites. Based on the above, H6, H7

and H8 are proposed, as shown in Figure 1.

Wixom and Todd (2005) indicated that System

satisfaction represents a degree of favorableness

with respect to the system and the mechanics of

interaction, and demonstrated that system

satisfaction would positively influence perceived

ease of use. Thus, when users use the system, they

must interact with the system. If they perceive the

interaction process to be more satisfactory, they

would more like to find the system to be easy to use.

When acquiring related information or service on

tourism websites, customers need to constantly

interact with websites. If the information or service

satisfies customers, it means the interaction between

customers and websites is successful and customers

will think that tourism websites are easy to use.

Based on the above, H9, H10 and H11 are proposed,

as shown in Figure 1.

Previous TAM research demonstrates strong

empirical support for a positive relationship between

perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness (Van

ICE-B 2011 - International Conference on e-Business

der Heijden, 2004). Song et al. (2007), Lim et al.

(2008) and Fagan et al. (2008) demonstrated that

perceived ease of use would positively influence

perceived usefulness. Regarding the relationship

between perceived usefulness and perceived

enjoyment, Kim et al. (2008) indicated that the

higher users’ perceived enjoyment with message

service, the higher users’ perceived usefulness of the

service. Fagan et al. (2008), Sun and Zhang (2008)

and Lim et al. (2008) found that perceived

enjoyment would positively influence perceived

usefulness. When tourism websites are easier to use,

customers would more easily recognize the

usefulness of the websites; likewise, customers with

a favorable perception of the enjoyment of a system

are more likely to perceive it useful.

Van der Heijden (2004) suggested that previous

researches demonstrate the positive influence of

perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness.

Similarly, perceived ease-of-use can be associated

with perceived relative enjoyment: the easier the

system is to use, the more enjoyable it is. Van der

Heijden (2004), Lim et al. (2008) and Sun and

Zhang (2008) suggested that perceived ease of use

would positively influence perceived enjoyment.

When customers or users use tourism websites, if the

websites are easier to use, they would find the

websites more enjoyable. Based on the above, H12,

H13 and H14 are proposed, as shown in Figure 1.

Bhattacherjee (2001) suggested that users would

continue using the information system since it is

beneficial. Bhattacherjee (2001), Thong et al. (2006)

indicated that perceived usefulness positively

influences continuance intention. Kim et al. (2008)

probed into users’ continuance intention of short

message service, and found that perceived

usefulness positively influences continuance

intention. When customers recognize that

information or service on tourism websites would

benefit current or future traveling plan or increase

their knowledge, they would continue using the

websites.

Song et al. (2007) indicated that users’ perceived

usefulness of mobile commerce (m-commerce)

would influence positive word-of-mouth marketing.

When customers recognize that tourism websites are

helpful, customers would recommend tourism

websites to others or have positive word of mouth.

On the contrary, when customers realize that tourism

websites are not beneficial, they would possibly ask

the websites to improve their service or have

negative word of mouth. Based on the above, H15,

H16 and H17 are proposed.

Thong et al. (2006) probed into continuance

intention of mobile Internet services, and

demonstrated that perceived ease of use, in

comparison to perceived usefulness and perceived

enjoyment, is more influential on continuance

intention. Kim et al. (2008) studied uses’

continuance intention of short message service, and

found that perceived ease of use positively

influences continuance intention. When customers

use tourism websites and acquire traveling

information or service easily, they would continue

using the websites.

Study of Song et al. (2007) suggested that users’

perceived ease of use of m-commerce would

influence the positive word-of-mouth intention.

When customers recognize that they could easily

plan or purchase traveling itinerary by tourism

websites, they would recommend the websites to

others. On the contrary, when they find the use of

tourism websites difficult and complicated, and that

they should spend more time planning or purchasing

traveling itinerary, they would possibly ask the

websites to improve their service or have negative

word of mouth. Based on the above, H18, H19 and

H20 are proposed, as shown in Figure 1.

Several recent studies report that perceived

enjoyment plays a crucial role in explaining

consumer adoption of new technologies (Van der

Heijden, 2004). Childers et al. (2001) suggested that

individuals may engage in a particular behavior if it

provides a feeling of fun and enjoyment. When the

visitors to a Web site find the visit enjoyable and

entertaining, the likelihood of returning to the Web

site is enhanced (Shang et al., 2005). Kim et al.

(2008) demonstrated that perceived enjoyment

positively influences continuance intention. When

customers enjoy tourism websites, they would

continue using tourism websites.

Fan et al. (2005) suggested that if an individual

perceives a certain technology or service as

enjoyable or playable, he/she is willing to

recommend such technology or service to his/her

friends and colleagues. Song et al. (2007)

demonstrated that users’ perceived enjoyment would

positively influence positive word-of-mouth

intention. When customers’ enjoyment perceived

from using tourism websites is higher, they would be

more willing to recommend them to others. On the

contrary, when the enjoyment is lower, they would

possibly ask the websites to improve their service or

have negative word of mouth. Based on the above,

H21, H22 and H23 are proposed, as shown in Figure

STUDY ON SUCCESS FACTORS OF TOURISM WEBSITES

3 CONCLUSIONS

According to the findings of McKinney et al. (2002),

this study assumes that service quality

disconfirmation will positively influence service

satisfaction. In addition, according to the findings of

Wixom and Todd (2005), this study expects that

system satisfaction will positively influence service

satisfaction. Moreover, information satisfaction,

system satisfaction and service satisfaction

positively influence perceived usefulness and

perceived ease of use. According to Kim et al.

(2008) and Song et al. (2007), this study predicts

that continuance intention, recommendation

intention, and complaint intention will be influenced

by perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and

perceived enjoyment. The weights of the factors of

tourism websites (with and without transaction)

upon different attributes will vary.

With the prevalence of the Internet, tourism

websites are also increasing. They not only

encounter the challenge from rivals, but also face the

impact of other information platforms (such as

blogs). The prediction of this study allows tourism

website managers to recognize the success factors of

websites. By examining the attributes of tourism

websites, the managers can adjust their operational

strategies and quality of tourism websites, and

enhance operational performance.

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