Emel Yarimoglu – Yasar University, Faculty of Business, Department of Business Administration, Universite Cad. N:37-39
35100 Bornova-Izmir/Turkey
Tugrul Gunay – Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of Tourism, Gazimagusa, Turkey
Yigit Sebahattin Bozkurt – Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Tourism, Aydın/Turkey

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/ITEMA.S.P.2019.125

In this study, we focused on analyzing customers’ electronic word of mouth activities in
third-party booking websites which consist of detailed reviews, suggestions, and complaints about hotels.
It was included to the research Booking.com, TripAdvisor, Trivago, Agoda, Hotels.com, Expedia,
and Kayak as third-party booking websites. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationships
among electronic word of mouth activities, trust, and loyalty. The field study was conducted with 120
university students chosen by convenience sampling. Data were collected by using online survey in
North Cyprus during March, 2019. Data were analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis and structural
equation modelling. In findings, it was found out that trust has a positive effect on loyalty, loyalty has a
positive effect on electronic word of mouth intensity, and electronic word of mouth intensity had a positive
effect on positive electronic word of mouth activities. Interestingly, it was not found out a significant
relationship between loyalty and positive electronic word of mouth. Implications for booking websites
and hotel industry were interpreted, and limitations and further research suggestions were advised.

Keywords

Booking Websites, Electronic Word of Mouth Intensity, Electronic Positive Word of Mouth,
e-WOM, eWOM.

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