Travel websites: a relevant source of statistical information?

Authors

  • Marta Drozdowska Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management
  • Magdalena Duda-Seifert Wrocław University, Institute of Geography and Regional Development, Department of Regional Geography and Tourism

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1515/tour-2016-0008

Keywords:

tourist social media, online travel agency, UGC, tourist accommodation, Wroclaw

Abstract

This study explores the two most popular travel websites: TripAdvisor, based fully on the Travel 2.0 and UGC application; and Booking.com, which has developed as an online travel agency website but has also absorbed a modern UGC approach. Their content concerning accommodation in Wrocław was analysed and compared to the official tourist statistics provided by both the Central Statistical Office of Poland, and the Central Register of Hotels and Similar Establishments published by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. The article aims at an evaluation of the reliability and completeness of the information provided over the internet: firstly from the point of view of a potential customer, secondly for its value for market research purposes. Although electronic word-of-mouth websites are designed both for consumers and suppliers, from a methodological perspective the article is based on a content analysis of tourism social media. The study also contributes to both academic research and the tourism industry by identifying some gaps in existing work and providing an agenda for the future.

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Published

2016-12-30

How to Cite

Drozdowska, M., & Duda-Seifert, M. (2016). Travel websites: a relevant source of statistical information?. Turyzm/Tourism, 26(2), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1515/tour-2016-0008

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 2 (2016)

Section

Articles

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Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.