Hotel Booking Website Quality, Travel Agent Satisfaction and Purchase Intention

Abstract

Website quality is one of the features that organisations increasingly use to maintain a competitive advantage. In the hospitality sector in particular, the growing use of a website as a sales channel has necessitated that hotel distribution companies understand the influence of website quality on their customers’ purchase behaviour. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of Business-to-Business (B2B) third-party hotel booking website quality features on travel agents’ satisfaction, and their subsequent purchase intention. Quantitative data was collected from South African travel agents using an online survey. Three website quality dimensions namely ease of use, information quality and visual appearance, as well as customer satisfaction and purchase intention were measured. Results indicate that there is a positive relationship between website quality and customer satisfaction, and between customer satisfaction and purchase intention. Information quality appears to have the strongest relationship with customer satisfaction. Regression analyses revealed that the relationship between website quality and purchase intention is mediated by customer satisfaction. The study makes a predominantly empirical contribution as there does not appear to be a similar study conducted within an African context. From a practical contribution perspective, the findings may assist third-party hotel distribution companies with meeting the demands of travel agents, and thereby improve their overall business performance.