The Influence Of Demographic Variables On Reading The Online Hotel Reviews

This research investigates the influence of demographic variables on reading the online hotel reviews. The study gathers data through the use of online survey. A computed sample size was384respondents out of which on average of372questionnaires were duly filled and returned. SPSS18software was used to process the data. Descriptive statistics and the multiple regression analysis models were employed to analyze the findings.The study carefully observes the six demographic variables which are age, gender, occupation, education, marital status and nationality. These demographic variables are considered to be independent variables. Opposite to this, the reading of the online hotel reviews is considered to be a dependent variable. The study looks at the reading in terms of frequency as well as intensity of reading from the review generating sources.The multiple regression models indicate that, all the six demographic variables can significantly determine the reading frequency of the travelers’reviews by57.70%(R2=0.577). They can also determine the reading frequency of the experts’reviews by69.2%(R2=0.692). As far as the reading intensity is concerned, only the four demographic variables which are; age, gender, education and nationality suit the model and were significantly found to determine the reading intensity of the travelers’reviews by45.6%(R=0.456). Conversely, the reading intensity of the experts’reviews cannot significantly be explained by the demographic variables contained in this study.The study recommends to the marketing managers and hotel owners to consider the online hotel reviews as a new communication mix channel. Furthermore, it recommends to the hotel managers to consider the demographic profile of the travelers and in case they want to serve a particular market segment (niche), since the regression models results are having a significant influence on reading of the online hotel reviews while searching for hotels.