Acceptance of Online vs. Traditional Travel Agencies

Abstract

Previous research focused primarily on discovering factors affecting either the benefits and service quality of traditional travel agencies or those of online booking facilities. This study tries to broaden the scope by investigating multiple distribution channel options. It considers different concepts covered by the SERVQUAL instrument, the technology acceptance model, the e-service quality approach and price perceptions as potential value drivers for different travel distribution channels. 58 different perceptual and attitudinal criteria were finally used and condensed into eleven value driving dimensions. These evaluative dimensions were applied together with a set of personal characteristics to discriminate between five different traveller segments defined a priori by their past booking behaviour. Overall, so-called store characteristics seem to dominate the explanation of differences in channel preferences. More favourable price perceptions are attributed to online agencies which is one of the outstanding perspectives of the strongest discriminant function described as ‘online euphorism-scepticism’.

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