Evaluating rural homestay accommodations in China using the hospitality index: An online review–based approach

Abstract

Hospitality’s central role in the tourism experience is well documented. However, traditional methods of hospitality measurement fail to capture tourists’ multi-dimensional experiences and the varying impacts of hospitality dimensions on individuals’ behavior. This study employed a big data–based mixed method approach, integrating grounded theory, natural language processing, and multiple linear regression. 68,421 online reviews of rural homestays were analyzed to investigate guests’ hospitality experiences. Findings showed that rural homestay hospitality comprises four dimensions: material objects, services, information, and emotions. The devised rural homestay hospitality index significantly influenced property ratings, with different hospitality dimensions having unique effects. The outcomes of this study hold implications for product creation, guest satisfaction, and the development of evaluation systems for rural homestays.