Multiple criteria decision making in hotel location: Does it relate to postpurchase consumer evaluations?

Abstract

Hotel location is an important attribute in tourist behaviour and decision making. Using a multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) method, preference selection index (PSI), this paper identifies those criteria which are influential on tourists' hotel location choice. The prioritization of hotel location criteria as well as the ranking of hotels by location is demonstrated. Ranking of hotels by the PSI procedure based on objective metrics is compared with the ranking publicized in a global travel web site (Booking.com) based on subjective tourist evaluations. Rational decision making in hotel location is closely associated with tourists' postpurchase evaluations (PPE), and Tourist Attractions is the most important locational determinant. This study demonstrated the relationship between rational decision making in hotel location and tourists' postpurchase evaluations (PPE) by employing preference selection index (PSI) method that has previously not been utilized in tourism literature.