Investigating the Impact of E-WOM Reviews on Chinese Hotel Customers’ Purchase Intention and Image Evaluation

While international hotel companies have dominated the upscale market in China, the number of domestic Chinese hotel companies have sprung up to seize the economic lodging sector, offering affordable rates to the price-conscious guests. This study proposes a theoretical framework via the application of an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model to ascertain the factors influencing Chinese consumers’ hotel purchase intention. More specifically, this study aims to ascertain the inter-relationships among Chinese hotel customers’ loyalty, hotel e-WOM reviews, hotel image evaluations, and consumers’ hotel purchase intentions. Questionnaires were designed and collected through 313 responses online. Through the PLS-SEM analysis, the study results found that e-WOM reviews could influence hotel consumers’ attitude, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norm. Additionally, hotel e-WOM reviews positively influenced hotel consumers’ purchase intentions. Hotel consumers’ level of loyalty contributed to different attitudes and hotel image evaluations. Practitioners in the hotel industry need to enhance hotel image and understand the significance of hotel e-WOM reviews on consumers’ behaviors and attitudes.