Business vs. Leisure Travelers, How Travel Purpose Influences Hotel Reviews?

受訪研究者：朴星俊（企業管理學系教授）

採訪撰稿：魏筱（企業管理學系博士生）

When booking a hotel, have you ever wondered why some reviews are glowing while others are critical? The answer may lie in business and leisure travelers' differing motivations and emotional states.

According to Prof. Sungjun (Steven) Park from the Department of Business Administration at National Chengchi University, “business and leisure travelers have different purposes for traveling, and their varying motivations may cause them to experience different emotional states. I thought this could influence how they express themselves in their online reviews.”

For example, consider this review from Booking.com: “The best location! The room was nice and comfortable, with great service at the hotel desk.” If you guessed that a business traveler left this review, congratulations! You captured the primary points a business traveler values. In general, business travelers prioritize the convenience of location, the comfort of the room, and the efficiency of the front desk service.

Business travelers usually visit clients or suppliers, focusing on work-related tasks. They often rely on hotel recommendations from their companies or coworkers. On the other hand, leisure travelers travel for recreation, seeking joy and pleasure. Their priorities differ, with security being a paramount concern, and they are more influenced by travel agent recommendations.

Prof. Park and his team analyzed 233,743 online reviews of 768 hotels in New York City, USA, to uncover systematic differences between these two types of travelers. Their research revealed that leisure travelers tend to leave more positive reviews with higher ratings and more positive emotions. In contrast, business travelers' reviews show greater variability in ratings and a less positive emotional tone.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, findings caution managers against relying solely on online review ratings, which can provide only superficial knowledge about the authentic voices of customers. “This paper advises hotel managers to delve into the characteristics of their customers rather than blindly accepting the results of online reviews.” said Prof. Park. By understanding these differences, hotel managers can better cater to their diverse clientele, enhance the overall customer experience, and improve their online reputation.