The Importance of Online Reputation Management in Four- and Five-Star Hotes

Abstract

In recent years, online reputation management has become increasingly crucial in the hotel industry, as online reviews have become one of the most critical factors in choosing accommodation. Consequently, hotels have adapted themselves to this new reality and define strategies focused on online reputation management, whose primary goal is to monitor and correct unwanted situations verified on the internet. Regarding its importance, several investigations about online reputation management have been made, but mostly about their impact on consumer satisfaction and decision-making. This investigation shows that hotels in Lisbon adopt adequate strategies in both four and five-star hotels, and their classification (star rating) did not influence the strategies chosen by them. Additionally, hotels with the same classification have similar strategies, in contrast to some investigations in the literature. Finally, the method of data collection chosen for the current investigation was the online survey, since it allows the collection of a significant volume of data in a short period.