Deciding where to stay: An exploratory study into the accommodation choice decision-making process of German leisure travellers

Abstract

The decision of which hotel to book is a highly complex one and has attracted considerable scientific scrutiny over the years. A growing number of empirical studies is focusing specifically on the decision-making process and the key factors in tourists' accommodation choices. This paper presents new insights into the decision-making process of different subgroups of German tourists in particular. To gather the data, an online questionnaire was used, completed by 501 respondents. Based on an evaluation of 27 statements about the different phases in the decision-making process, the subjects' preferences were determined. Non-parametric tests were applied to establish whether there were statistically significant differences with respect to socio-demographic variables and travel behaviour. Several unexpected effects were established, for example, that social networks only play a marginal role in the decision-making process of German leisure travellers in general. Clear effects of gender, age, and accommodation type were also found. These results are critically discussed and used to derive implications for practitioners.