Understanding and Defining E-Word of Mouth Marketing

Understanding and Defining E-Word of Mouth
Marketing and Its Impact on Hotel Industry in Goa

Abstract
This research involves the study of E-word of mouth marketing and its impact on the hospitality
industry in Goa. E-word of mouth marketing has swiftly replaced the traditional forms of word-
of-mouth marketing as technologies advanced. Because of the presence of several platforms on
social media, customers are able to express their viewpoints efficiently. People are now able to
share their experiences regarding tourism and hospitality industries with little inconvenience to
potential customers worldwide. In this regard, there are a variety of reviews available online,
including several negative reviews and comments as well. This study focuses on how these
positive, as well as negative reviews, affect consumer behavior while booking a hotel. To narrow
down the study to a particular area, the hotels in Goa are studied. The research carries a
significant factor as the digitalizing world, reveals that the future is dependent on social media.
Marketing is one of the important aspects of business and E-word is expected to be one of the
prospering ways of marketing with effective and productive results. The research would provide
some efficient findings which would help the business industry to grow and prosper through
various aspects. Data is collected through questionnaires in which both guests and managers at a
hotel are questioned regarding the impact of social media and online reviews on decision-
making. The study has exemplified that the E-word of mouth has a significant impact on the
hospitality industry in Goa because customers now trust more on online reviews. Through the
questionnaire, facts and experienced data would be collected. Through the 10 questions of the
survey and its acknowledgment and analysis would help in reaching to some productive and
realistic information. On the other hand, hotel managers also consider these reviews as reliable
sources to understanding the satisfaction level of the customers along with the drawbacks of their
customer services. In this way, e-WOM is influencing the hotels imposing competition in the
sector.

Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my supervisor ____________________ and co-supervisor
___________________ for their time, guidance and support in this research.
I would also like to thank my family members and friends as without their love and support I
would not have been able to complete this study.
I also want to thank all of my classmates as they have been very supportive of all my endeavors
and have helped me throughout the journey.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Literature review
Aims and Objectives of the study
Research questions
The rationale of the study
Methodology
Research reliability
Ethical considerations of the Study
Findings and Discussions
Conclusion
Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research

Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduction
Consumers tend to imitate one another by following a social paradigm. Explained as e-word of
mouth is a process through which consumers can share their opinions and information on the
internet which directs the buyers towards products and services. Such form of referrals differs
from its counterpart in the sense that they are electronic by nature and there exists no face-to-face
communication, the referrals are usually unsolicited which means that they are sent to those
recipients who were not in search for the information and perhaps may not be willing to pay
attention towards them (Godes and Mayzlin, 2004).
It has also been demonstrated by researchers that personal conversation, as well as the informal
exchange of information amongst people, tend to influence not only the choice of consumers and
their buying decision but, it also has the ability to shape consumer expectations (Anderson and
Salisbury, 2003), attitude before using the service, along with perceptions related to post-usage
of the product or service. One unique factor which distinguishes word of mouth from traditional
marketing aspects is the positive feedback mechanism between word of mouth and product sales.
This means that word of mouth leads to increased sales of products or services which tend to
generate more word of mouth and eventually more sales of the product or service (Godes and
Mayzlin, 2004).
The principle governing word of mouth has rapidly spread in the field of internet marketing and
online user generated content has replaced professional reviewers. It has become a new source of
obtaining information and is rendered to be electronic or e-word-of-mouth (e-WOM). According
to Dobele, Toleman and Beverland, (2005), advancement within information technology has
bought about several changes in the way of communication and these changes have imposed a
huge impact on consumer behavior as well as on their purchasing decision dramatically. The
World Wide Web serves as an opportunity where people can buy products or look for
information online. Within the context of word of mouth, the internet has changed how people
communicate with each other. Electronic word of mouth is similar to face-to-face or traditional
word of mouth except that the communication takes place online (Huete-Alcocer, 2017; Barreto,
2014; Carr and Hayes, 2014; Daugherty and Hoffmann, 2014).

There are many recent studies that quantify the influence of e-WOM has in the hospitality
industry concerning hotel operations and hotel managers (Anderson, 2012). The report intends to
determine the association between e-WOM and the operations of hotels in Goa.
Marketing provides the organization with the capability of being acknowledged by the people.
For the business industry, marketing is the tool to reach the people at large and gain in sales. The
traditional way of marketing has been providing the industry with productive results and it has
been enhancing the business sector too (Hughes and Sharrock , 2016). The business sector and
the marketing sector both develop simultaneously as both the industries act as a supportive
system for each other. Along with the technological development, the marketing industry has
grown and developed in a way which has provided with productive and enhancing results for the
business sector (Kim et al. 2015). The technological innovations have helped in enhancing the
marketing industry and the new digitalized inventions have provided a new approach towards
marketing. The E-word marketing is one of the most convenient and productive ways of
reaching to the people at large. Though the risk is quite high in this marketing tool, the
enhancing capacity and the acceleration in business are double the risk, it carries. The study
investigates the impact of e-word marketing tool in the hospitality industry of Goa as the
hospitality industry is the one which attracts the people to explore the online feedbacks for
making decisions (Ögüt and Onur, 2012). The consumer’s choices are dependent on multiple
factors and the exploration of consumer’s behavior and psychology is to be made through the
research.
The hotel industry has now become one of the most mature industries which have been hugely
impacted by the advent of information technology and the internet. During a trip plan, the hotel
stay is rendered to be an essential component (Ye et al. 2014). Studies conducted previously
identified four varying factors that impact the decision-making process of consumers for
different products and services. Concerning the hotel industry, these variables include price, the
service quality, features as well as the facilities provided (Liu, 2006).to assess the various
alternatives available, travelers tend to seek information from different sources on the web. As e-
WOM tends to spread wider and faster, it imposes a more powerful impact on the decision-
making process of the customers (Litwin et al., 2008). Travelers find for recommendations or
reviews made by other travelers through different online sources such as review websites,

forums, and blogs. According to Cantallops and Salvi, (2014), suggests that the hotel industry is
one of the most affected sectors by e-WOM in the tourism and hospitality industry. In addition to
this, Cheng and Zhou (2010), e-WOM imposes a very significant impact on travelers' selection
of accommodation at the time of planning a trip. With this increasing importance of e-WOM, it
is very important for hotel managers to understand the specifics of e-WOM. Research was
undertaken by Jeong and Jang (2011) there are very few researches related to customer
motivation about e-WOM. Gaining a clear understanding of e-WOM allows managers to how to
foster or encourage this aspect of effective marketing. This report will also include those factors
that motivate customers towards e-WOM (Cantallops and Salvi, 2014).
There are many industries that are well aware of the importance of consumer experience
(Nasution et al., 2014). Research suggests that the consumption experience of consumers is a
very important source of human motivations. The same research presents the fact that there
exists a positive relationship between consumption experiences and human motivation for the
publishing of e-WOM (Tian (2013). In the hotel industry, there are many successful hotel brands
which offer a multidimensional and unique experience to their visitors which affects their
behavioral intentions (Xu and Chan, 2010).
The rationale of the Study
A study done by Anderson (1998, p.15) reveals that only those consumers initiate WOM
communications who belong to the extreme ends of the spectrum, i.e. who are either extremely
satisfied or extremely dissatisfied. Moreover, bias has been seen in customer reviews in the
product-introduction stages (Li and Hitt, 2008). However, as seen by recent studies, prior
positive ratings can bias future ratings because of their social influence (Aral and Walker, 2012,
p. 337). However, Bright Local (2014) suggests that the reliance on online reviews and ratings
by other customers has been increasing year by year and influencing consumer buying behavior.
Online ratings constitute a kind of social influence that includes accepting the information given
by unknown people. Online ratings have become increasingly popular among consumers in the
context of making purchasing decisions, as it describes the services and quality of various
businesses including hotels or restaurants. As a matter of fact, the main difference between a
brochure of a hotel and its website is that the hotel website offers customer reviews and ratings
of their services (Xu and Chan, 2010). The study investigates the hospitality industry for

reaching to some effective conclusions. Goa is one of the Indian states which attracts a huge
number of tourists and the tourists are mainly of a young age. The transforming standard of
living and lifestyle has been motivating people towards new technologies and advanced
communication tools. Digitalization has been one of the major contributors to the business
industry, as the improvisation and enhancement of the business industry have been experienced
through innovations of the technological industry (Indian Express, 2014). Goa is a state to which
youngsters gets attracted to relaxing and partying. The hospitality industry of the state has been
enhancing its activities and inclusion of E-word marketing, has added on to the accuracy that the
hotels need to maintain. The e-word of mouth has been adding on to the efficiency and accuracy
for the organizations to maintain the quality of services as the spread of a minor negative E-
WOM could lead to the downfall of the business. E-word marketing has been spreading in a
wide and progressive way which reveals the significance of acknowledging the progress of the
hospitality business in Goa. Marketing has always been an important part of business and
digitalization has been adding on to the speed of spreading the information and enhancing the
communication among stakeholders. The e-word marketing has been accepted by all the
industries and in concern of the hospitality industry, this tool impacts the consumer's decision
extensively. The e-word marketing tool utilized in Goa has been providing the organizations with
some enhancing way of accelerating their activities and business. The research states the
significance of marketing along with the productivity of e-word marketing to the hospitality
industry in Goa (Ye, Li, Wang and Law, 2014).
The speed with which technological innovations are taking place, the future would be based on
technology. Decision making for each sector be it business, consumer, marketing or any other
sector all would be dependent on the technological actions and outlook. The marketing industry
is something that goes parallel; with the business industry and thus, the existence of the business
industry means marketing exists. Technological development has been impacting the lifestyle
and living standards of people on a wide scale and this has been impacting the business sector
too. The research investigates the marketing industry and its new techniques of electronic-based
tools which has been observed to impact the business sector closely. Communication is one of
the significant factors in business and marketing is one of the tools through which the business
sector connects with the consumer sector. Technology has reduced the gap between the
communications of the two significant parties. Thus, the significance of technology could be

assessed through it. The research provides clear identification of e-word marketing and its impact
on the hospitality industry of Goa which could be used in the future for understanding the
implications of e-word marketing. Future is based on technology and thus, the research could be
utilized in the future for gaining information on how the implications were made in the initial
stage and thus the enhancement path could be realized through it.
Therefore, this study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the relationship between online
reviews and E-word of mouth marketing in the hospitality industry in Goa. The factors that
consumers are more likely to seek and study about are the focus of this study. Moreover, the
influence that reviews and ratings have on the managers and operations in the hospitality
industry is also studied.
Research Aim
The current study aims to understand and define the E-Word of Mouth marketing and to
investigate its impact on the hotel and hospitality industry of Goa.
Aims and Objectives of the Research
The primary objectives of the research include:
 To investigate and explore the concept of E-word marketing.
 To understand the E-word marketing concept and its impact on the hospitality industry in
Goa.
 To acknowledge the technological innovations in marketing and the significance of E-
word marketing in the hospitality industry.
 To understand the factors of decision making for the tourists of Goa, while booking
hotels.
The secondary objective of the study includes:
 The analysis of the effect of online reviews on the hotel management and
operations in Goa’s hotels.
Research Questions

 What is the concept of E-word marketing?
 How does the E-word of mouth marketing affect the hospitality industry in Goa?
 How do online reviews help in the decision-making process while choosing a
hotel to stay for tourists/guests?
 What is the efficacy of those online reviews?
 What are the main factors that guests/tourists seek while looking at online reviews
for selecting a hotel?
 How do online reviews affect hotel management and operation in Goa's hotels?
Hypotheses for the Research
For this study, these hypotheses are made:
For consumers
 E-word of mouth plays a significant role in consumer behavior in the hospitality industry.
Positive reviews and recommendations for hotels encourage other potential customers to
avail of the hotel's services.
 While looking for hotels to stay, customers seek the services and amenities provided by
the hotel the most.
For managers
 Negative reviews regarding the hotel and its services affect the business of the hotel
negatively.
 Responding to negative reviews and comments professionally while showcasing
compassion and regard may be able to change the customer’s reviews.
 Incorporating positive changes from customer reviews may affect positively on the
hotel’s business.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
The ever-increasing use of the internet technology has managed to generate various online
reviews of users of different products and services. Previous literature has researched the impact

of e-WOM over the sales of different products like books or CDs (Ye, Law, Gu, & Chen, 2011).
The following literature review section consists of a critical analysis of different literary articles
based on the consistent evaluation of E-word of mouth marketing. In order to explore the various
aspects of e-WOM and digital review aids, the study is focused on the hospitality industry of
Goa.
2.2 Basic concept of E-word of mouth and its evaluation
According to Clark and Robertsn (2010), the underlying concept of word of mouth can be traced
decades back to the 1960s and is referred to as the communication of products or services
between those people who are not commercial entities. Word of mouth to be the procedure of
conveying information from one person to another. Word of mouth also plays a very vital role in
the buying decision of consumers along with incorporating the reactions as well as sharing
opinions of the consumers. There are two types of word of mouth marketing which is classified
as the traditional word of mouth and electronic word of mouth (Cheung and Thadani, 2012).
Traditional Word of Mouth
As per Chen and Xie (2008), previously, using internet technology was not a common practice
and people used to share their reviews and opinions about particular products and services with
their family members and friends through oral communication. There was face-to-face
communication which is also known as the traditional word of mouth marketing of brands and
services (Cheung and Thadani, 2012).
Electronic Word of Mouth
Electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) also known to be online user-generated content (UGC),
online recommendations or online reviews has become more and more important with the
advancement of internet technology (Serra and Salvi, 2014). In the recent few decades, the
advancement in technology and its related tools have allowed people to use their computers and
cell phones so that they browse the internet whenever and wherever they want to. The result of
this was that consumers started posting their reviews, opinions as well as comments online
related to the product, brand or service where others consider these opinions to be references. It
has been stated by (Chevalier and Mayzlin, 2006) that online word of mouth serves to be a very
important source of information for the consumers complementing and substituting traditional

word of mouth and other types of business-to-consumer communication procedure related to the
quality of the product.
2.3 Different types of E-word of mouth marketing
2.3.1 Higher Degree of Marketer-controlled electronic word of mouth
Viral Marketing
This type of electronic word of mouth marketing has managed to gain a whole lot of attention of
the researchers. The concept includes activities of a marketer that intends to create a web-based
promotional vehicle to attract consumers towards a particular product or service, most often in
the form of a website address link or e-mail which will be distributed by the consumers online
(Bilgihan, 2013). The word 'viral' implies that the message will take a form of being a virus that
will eventually spread through contacts with other people. In the early years of the 2000s,
Hotmail managed to garner millions of new users through using the viral marketing approach
that eventually, Microsoft purchased Hotmail and now serves as an integral part of its e-mail
features (Dobele et al., 2005).
Targeting Consumer Profile
This is another e-WOM marketing effort that intends to target those consumers who share
common interests and likes through e-WOM reviews which may either be positive or negative
(Mauri and Minazzi, 2013). While viral marketing effort intends to deliver one message to many
people, targeting particular consumer profiles attempts to deliver several messages to a targeted
group of people who might have an interest in the same type of product. A good example can be
Babies R-Us which shows testimonials of customers through a "Customer Review" link and
where other potential customers can get to know about the reviews and opinions of previous
users (Subramani and Rajagopalan, 2003).
2.3.2 Low degree of marketer controlled electronic word of mouth
Social Platforms
Social networking platforms on the web allow marketers to identify large clusters of people
which tend to congregate over these platforms and share their views and opinions. Information

technology influences a great number of people coupled with an increased way of
communicating and a decreased level of effort making social networking platforms to be a value
proposition for the marketers (Subramani and Rajagopalan, 2003).
Social Media and Hotel Industry
As per the study by WTTC (2017), travel and tourism is the largest industry in the world which
accounts for 9% of the global GDP, generating approximately $6 billion and creating almost 230
million jobs across the world. The services related to hospitality and tourism are termed as ‘time-
based performances’ (Aparna, 2004). These services are characterized by intangibility,
inseparability, variability, and perishability (Rust et al., 1996). Moreover, various studies suggest
that the services and products offered in hospitality and tourism industries have profound
differences and therefore, they cannot be standardized, and the notion that customers will be
satisfied at every instance cannot be supported (Lovelock, 2009).
2.3 Role of social media in influencing customer behavior in the hospitality industry of Goa
These days, social media is incorporated in every hotel’s marketing strategy and hotels engage
with their potential customers and guests and tell them about their products and services
(Camaide, 2013). Moreover, social media offers hotel management to engage with a much larger
audience with no geographical constraints. Therefore, these hotels can engage in effective
communications with their potential customers and encourage buying behavior through social
media marketing (Dev, 2013). Therefore, social media acts as an effective platform for hotels to
communicate with their potential customers and enlighten them about their services and
offerings.
In a contrast, social media platforms do have their limitations in the context of the tourism and
hospitality industries (Fotis, Buhalis and Rossides, 2012). For instance, negative reviews and
comments can destroy the reputation of a hotel and the hotel management cannot ignore the
outcomes of such negative feedback (Abrons, 2017). Therefore, the hotel management has a
taxing role to play while managing their social media accounts as they have to counteract the
negative comments that may come every once in a while, to ensure that a positive impression is
made on their customers.

How the Internet is bringing a change in the hospitality sector
In the past decade, various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have
revolutionized the way people interact with one another and the ways in which businesses
interact with their customers (Manager Skills, 2012).
It is up to the hotel management and other businesses in the hospitality sector to use social media
to their utmost benefit by having a keen understanding of how to manage the platforms. Social
media plays an integral role in the promotion of the hospitality sector and for improving
traveling experience. Various studies have shown that people rely on online reviews and
recommendations and base their travel plans accordingly. Based on the study, the majority of
travelers take their smartphones when they are traveling or are on vacation, while 52% of people
admitted that seeing their friends post pictures of their vacations on Facebook influenced their
choice of choosing a destination for vacation (eHotelier, 2012).
A study conducted by the UK's hotel chain (Four Pillars Hotel) demonstrates how social media
has influenced hospitality industries. The study shows that:
Influence of online reviews
In the study, 76% of users that had access to Facebook post their vacation photos on their
personal Facebook accounts, while 46% of tourists post reviews on the hotel or other
accommodation they had stayed at after returning from their vacation (Manager Skills, 2012).
Direct hotel bookings
Social networking usually comprises the perception of WOM (word of mouth) which is now
termed as electronic WOM or e-WOM which promotes content on online platforms. However,
there is not much difference between WOM and e-WOM in the sense that they offer the same
purpose which is to provide useful information to potential customers (Ranjha, 2010). This
sharing of information may promote the brand's image positively or defame the brand name if
the views are negative. However, it is also noted that the comments which are showcased online
are not from credible sources and lack trusted reputations of their owners, therefore, the people
who visit such websites are unable to trust those comments (Lange and Elliot, 2012). There are

various studies that have shown time and again that social media is one of the most important
contributive factors in the promotion of hospitality industries. However, it may influence
business in both a positive and negative way (Litvin and Pan, 2008). With the increase in users
on social media platforms and the subsequent increase in customer reviews and suggestions, it is
no longer just the businesses promoting their services but old customers also promote a
company’s services to potential customers and encourage sales (Assenov and Khurana, 2012).
There may be an old customer sharing their experience regarding their stay at a hotel and point
out the negative aspects of their stay which may highly affect the decision-making process of
potential customers who are looking for hotels for their next vacation (Seth, 2012).
2.4 Impact of digitalization on Customer Relationship management in the hospitality
industry of Goa
According to Bredican and Vigar-Ellis (2014), companies and businesses can get in-depth
insights into the needs and requirements of their customers through social media platforms.
Hence, a company in the hospitality sector can improve their relationship with their customers
and promote their company's Customer Relationship Management (CRM). When a business
understands its customers' needs and demands based on various demographic factors, such as
their age and income, they can better target their customers through advertisements and
promotions created specifically for their customers to encourage sales (Hu, Chen and Chou,
2017). Therefore, to understand consumer behavior and encourage a purchase, companies need
to observe the intricacies that lead up to the purchasing decision (Twumasi and AduGyami,
2013). The social media platforms available these days are built-in with every facility to target
potential customers making them a convenient platform for marketing their services (Murray and
Waller, 2007).
Useful in promoting the brand’s image
These days it is difficult to find a company involved in a service sector that does not own a social
media account for their business. With the rise in the use of social media, businesses now
consider this as an opportunity to market their brand to potential customers to encourage sales
and to loyal customers to encourage repeat purchases. If a business can convince its customers
that they will be spending their money on a worthwhile platform, businesses can build a loyal

consumer following and build brand awareness as well (Mahmood et al. 2012). However, social
media can affect a business in both a positive and negative manner no matter if it is an upscale
business or a recently started small business (Mahmood et al. 2012).
The failure in service delivery is a difficult challenge that each service provider faces. It is,
however, impossible to eliminate errors in service procedures (Hess, 2008). As the service is not
executed as well as it was planned, customers may be disappointed as their experience would not
be able to meet the expectations. When such a situation occurs, the service providers have to
resolve the issues as early as possible so as to eliminate the possibilities of further damage (Bell
and Zemke, 1987).
Methods of service recovery in the hospitality industry
Miller et al. (2000) suggest that the most significant recovery elements involved are
psychological as well as tangible. Psychological factors are regarded as the attempt of the service
providers to empathize with their customers while tangible factors involve the resolution of the
issues promptly (Lewis and McCann 2004). Psychological techniques that include showing
concern and empathy while apologizing is considered as a critical technique in the process of
service recovery (Miller et al. 2000). Expressing concern and empathy during service failure is
associated with an apology and is considered as pivotal in recovery procedures. Showing concern
and empathy translates into the notion that the management is concerned regarding the problem,
is willing to resolve it and is adamant to mitigate their customer's inconvenience (Boshoff,
1999). According to Seawright et al (2008), apologies are enough in the situations where
inconvenience to customers or service failures are minor ones, whereas, when extreme service
failures occur, customers usually expect some kind of compensation for the event in addition to
the apologies (Bell and Zemke, 1987). If no compensation is offered by the service provider, the
customers believe that the management is inconsiderate towards their situation (Miller et al.
2000).
There have been several types of research which have highlighted the influence that reviews and
recommendations on the web have on consumer decision-making while buying a product or
service (Dutta et al. 2007). Recommendations systems present online that are provided by
retailers are considered to be more influential in terms of credibility and decision-making in

contrast to the reviews provided by other customers or experts (Senecal and Nantel, 2004). In the
context of reviews, the influence has been researched for various products, such as buying of
books (Chevalier and Maizline, 2006) and hotel stays (Vermeulen and Seegers, 2009). Moreover,
the influence that online reviews and comments have in terms of the visibility of the service or
product has also been studied (Duan and Whinston, 2008).
2.5 Effect of negative comments regarding services in the hospitality industry in Goa
It has been an ongoing tradition for dissatisfied customers to either complain indirectly by
writing negative comments on guest feedback cards or directly by complaining to frontline staff.
However, there are some customers who do not complain at all to the hotel management but
instead share the incident with family and friends. These days, the increasingly common social
media and travel reviews have changed the way consumers express dissatisfaction with the
services provided (Zhu and Zhang, 2010). There is no doubt in the saying that social media has a
great impact on consumer buying behavior regarding hospitality and tourism services as seen in
millennials and generation X (TripAdvisor, 2017). In this era of social media, a consumer's
negative comment or review regarding the products or services provided can have the potential
to harm a business significantly (Van and Willemsen, 2012). There is an increasing number of
people who are willing to give online reviews for services or products which is attracting the
attention of other potential customers. If a potential customer searches for hospitality services
and lands on negative reviews about a particular company, they are likely to move to other
companies and businesses serving the same (Pan and Zhang, 2011). This is so because a
significant number of people trust online reviews related to services or products.
On the contrary, social media is a great platform for businesses and companies related to the
hospitality industry to know more about their customers' needs and wants and therefore, they can
use this social media to attract more and more customers (Chen et al. 2012). In the unfortunate
event of getting a negative comment or review from a customer, businesses can showcase their
service and attitude and not only regain the lost confidence from their customer but also attract
more potential consumers (Chen et al. 2012). There have been many studies that show that
negative reviews effect much more greatly than positive reviews (Boo and Kim, 2013).
Moreover, when customers are familiar with a company and its brand, positive or negative

reviews do not make such a difference in their purchase decision, whereas, when customers are
unfamiliar with a company and its brands, they are more likely to pay attention to reviews, while
having negative reviews affecting their buying decision greatly (Del et al., 2013). Bruce and
Solomon (2013) advise businesses and companies related to the hospitality industries to pay
close attention to their reputation on social media, reply to negative reviews professionally and
use it to showcase their strengths so as to attract more customers.
2.8 Electronic Word of Mouth and Hotel Industry in Goa
The rapid development of Information technology has empowered users and paved way for a
multi-way communication in the hospitality industry and has managed to generate a huge
amount of electronic word of mouth on hotels in Goa (Sigala, 2008). Analyzing electronic word
of mouth in the hotel industry of Goa is very important being the tourist destination to be very
popular amongst tourists. Several pieces of research have studied upon review generating factors
that make customers recommend hotels and resorts in Goa. According to Yoo and Gretzel
(2008), the satisfaction of the guest or tourist has a direct as well a positive impact over hotels
and resorts. As a result, every type of accommodation in Goa needs to invest in every effort to
meet as well as exceed the expectations of customers in every possible way. Taking the aspect of
customer dissatisfaction, a bit further, Sánchez-García and Currás (2011) states that when a
customer or a tourist is dissatisfied with the service quality of hotels, they may spread negative
electronic word of mouth which is also inconsistency with the marketing theory that the goal of
these dissatisfied customers is too worn other about their bad experience. In addition to this
Swanson and Hsu (2009), also states that customers who are satisfied with the service quality of
hotels are less likely to recommend the services to other people as compared to those customers
who are dissatisfied with their hotel experience.
2.10 Factors of online reviews that impact on tourists or guests
As per the viewpoint of Berezina et al., (2015), online hotel reviews have become one of the
most important components for the hoteliers to determine the satisfaction level of the tourists. At
the same time, it also helps them to identify the drawbacks of their customer's services and
improve these services for attracting more customers. Hu, Chen, and Chou, (2017) have
contradicted that not only the hoteliers but the holiday planners also consider online reviews as a

significant and indispensable source of information at the time of booking accommodation for
the tourists. Min, Lim, and Magnini, (2014) have mentioned that customers also have complete
knowledge and awareness about the power of their online reviews and the way it can influence
an entire industry.
As asserted by Luo and Zhong, (2015) that E-word of mouth is changing the overall dimension
of marketing in the hospitality industry across the world. Customers now place more trust in the
reviews rather than the marketing effort initiated by the tour organizers. Approximately 97% of
customers check online reviews shared by the other travelers. In this context, Liang, Choi, and
Joppe, (2017) have emphasized there are certain factors, hoteliers also need to consider for
ensuring positive reviews from the visitors. These online reviews are considered as an integrated
part of WOM although there are a few differences. WOM is effective only within the people,
who are connected in a social network through verbal communication (Lee et al. 2009).
For instance, travelers consider reviews of their friends or other relatives before choosing hotels.
Apart from that, these travelers also check reviews online if they have access to the internet
(Bronner and Hoog, 2011).
2.11 Specific factors that ensure positive review and satisfaction of customers
The current revolution in digital media has evolved the way, consumers purchase products, book
hotels, and travel. Therefore, it has become important for the hotel chains to focus on ensuring
customers satisfaction for receiving positive reviews from the visitors and attract further
customers. According to Min and Magnini, (2014), customers now trust more on online reviews
as now the easy accessibility of the internet has also been increased. In 2012, Deloitte conducted
research and highlighted a few specific points and these are given below:
 Nearly 59% of the holidaymakers compare prices online
 Around 59% of customers' booking decision is influenced by the traveler reviews
 More than 40% of holidaymakers use review websites at the time of planning their
holiday
 Almost one-third of the travelers post their travel-related reviews on various review
websites

 Near about 16% of the travelers discuss their holiday experience as well as the service
quality of different hotels on social media
Several tourists arrive at Goa every year including both domestic and foreign travelers. The total
number of tourists in Goa has been increased from 2788029 to 8015400 from 2012 to 2018.
Sharing reviews online is the only opportunity, travelers have to check the service quality of the
hotels in Goa as well as sharing their own experiences through online reviews (Goa Tourism,
2019).
Table 1: Number of tourists arrive in Goa annually
(Source: Goa Tourism, 2019)
2.12 Effects of online reviews on hotel management of Goa
Online reviews play a significant role in the turn of the growth and development of the hotels.
According to Park and Nicolau (2015), there are times while the tourists focus on online reviews
before booking a room in the hotel. This is because, with the help of the online reviews, the
reputational image of an organization is identified. In order to have quality services from hotels
and restaurants, people spend lots of money. In such a situation, both the price-sensitive and

quality-sensitive tourists or guests focus on researching a range of hotels or accommodations
before finalizing a specific hotel for the trip (Phillips et al. 2016).
In order to research the best hotel for accommodation, people focus on reviewing the online
rates, which are given by Google. As stated by Phillips et al. (2015), Google is associated with
assigning high priority to the online reviews as well as the organized team activities. This
appears directly on the search results provided by Google. In such a situation, both the quality-
sensitive and price-sensitive tourists will be focused on relying on the reviews of Google for
different hotels (De Pelsmacker et al. 2018). This is because Google is the sole platform for
people in the case of both search and research. For instance, if a hotel is positioned on the top of
the search results with positive reviews, then the tourists will be focused on booking rooms in
that hotel only (Ettinger, Grabner-Kräuter and Terlutter, 2018). Hence, the core observing area is
that the reputation of a hotel is safe if it has positive reviews on the Google search results.
Consumer Behavior Theory
As per Petrescu and Korgankar (2017), consumers are the creators of demand and they have the
capacity to sustain the business in the market. The choices made by the consumers depend on
multiple factors and the decisions of the consumers are based on various other sources. An
economy works through the smooth functioning of demand and supply. Demand is the consumer
perceptive while supply is the seller perceptive. The consumers consider various factors for
reaching to a specific decision of purchase. The purchasing decision of a consumer depends on
multiple considerations, which are product based, income base, demand base, and others.
Consumers have a tendency to cross-checking all the product factors and its features against the
price they pay for it. It is rightly stated by Huete-Alcocer, (2017), that the utility which the
consumer earns from a purchase of a product needs to be equivalent to the price that is paid for
it. The consumer's decisions depend on the satisfaction that they achieve through the product and
this is one of the significant tools for acknowledging consumer's choices. The allocation of
income to the most productive products and purchases is the aim of the consumers purchasing
decisions. The Utility or satisfaction plays a significant role in decision making. The maximum
utility is the key ingredient for gaining consumers' demand. The theory works through the
concept that if the consumer achieves maximum utility from purchase, then he is expected to

increase the demand for the product gradually. Consumer Behavior theory provides a condition
on which the consumers could make their decisions in a productive and enhancing manner (Keh
and Xie 2009).
According to Barreto (2014), the consumers make their choices through acknowledging her
people's decision too and this impacts their utility, sometimes in a negative way and sometimes
in a positive way. The theory could be understood through three distinct stages, which includes,
Consumer Preferences, Budget Constraints, and Consumer Choices. The three stages of
consumer behavior specify the steps through which a consumer goes through for buying a
product. The foremost is the preference which specifies that the consumers decide on the
preferences of the product that is the goods that would suit his demand and satisfy him
completely. Secondly, the consumer cross-checks his income and his buying capability which
provides him with the most suitable items. The income that the consumer is willing to spend
towards the purchase of a particular product decides on his choices and lastly, the consumer
choice stage is executed. Irrespective of product type, the theory works effectively and it has
been providing the economy with a platform to acknowledge the demand for a product in the
market. The theory provides a benchmark for the consumers to check on their choices and how
they could make their choices productive and enhancing (Sparks, Perkins and Buckley 2013).
Factors Impacting Decision Making of Consumers
According to Hu, Bose, Koh, and Liu (2012), consumers' decision making is one of the most
crucial and impactful actions in the working of an economy. Demand comes from consumers
which provide business to the suppliers, hence the significance of consumer's decisions could be
realized through it. As opined by Cem (2013), decisions of consumers depend on various factors
which include social, cultural, ethical, psychological and personal. The multiple factors
impacting the decisions of consumers indirectly impact the suppliers or the sellers too. As per
Baker, Donthu and Kumar (2016), the social factors which impacts the decision making of the
consumers include the influential factors, the status factor, family, and many others. The social
aspect helps the consumers in identifying the influential factors which carry a wider and hardcore
impact on the choices. People's factor is the most significant one as the consumers get influenced
by its surroundings and this impacts their choices. The status to which the consumer belongs also
plays a vital role as the maintenance of status is one of the key factors which impacts their

choices. The cultural factor is the one which has been deteriorating day by day because of the
acceptance of all cultures, but the factor has been playing a significant role in the decision
making of consumers. The values and the principals that a consumer carries impacts their
choices and thus this impacts the demand for the goods. Personal Factor is the one which varies
from person to person and the consumers makes choices as per their likes and dislikes. The
choices depend on the materialistic factors which include the color, outlook, and other features of
the product. The Psychological factor is the one that impacts the people at large and the brand
image of a product makes it more appealing and attractive to the consumers. There are instances
when a single bad impression of a product impacts the consumer psychologically and thus, the
sale of the product falls. Quality is another factor that impacts the consumer's choices as
satisfaction from a product is directly related to the quality it holds. Good quality attracts the
consumers and for achieving the same level of satisfaction they tend being stuck to a single
product. Thus, quality is an impactful and significant factor for consumers. Income is a vital
factor that plays a vital role as the amount of income that a person is willing to allocate to a
specified product decides on the product choices. The price of the product needs to be aligned
with the income allocated to the product.
Impact of Digital Marketing on the Hospitality Industry
As per Cheung and Thadani (2012), technological innovations have been providing all the
industries with some new ways of carrying out theory activities and this has been enhancing the
industries. Technological development provides other industries with some new ways of
executing the activities and reducing costs. The technological industry has been contributing to
the marketing industry and business industry in an enhancing and productive manner. The
marketing industry is another important and enhancing industry that provides the business sector
with the capability of exploring new and different ways of reaching people. The marketing
industry is the one which helps the business in spreading to a wider range and thus progress
through various sources. The technological advancement and marketing industry has developed
through the last few years which has provided the business sector with some advanced ways of
executing its actions (Lau and Ng, 2001). Hospitality Industry has been developing through
technological advancement and digital marketing has provided the hospitality industry with new
ways of reaching people. Digital Marketing provides the business sector with easy and

productive ways of carrying out activities and a smart way to reach to the people at large.
Communication is an important factor for the hospitality industry and digitalized marketing has
been providing the former industry with suitable and new ways. The digitalized marketing
techniques and tools provide the people with a new approach and thus, the impact of each
communicating tool gets identified (Dina and Sabou, 2012).
According to Loureiro and Kastenholz (2011), the hospitality industry grows with effective
communication and quality maintenance which has been possible through new technological
innovations. The digitalized world has helped in reaching people at large through various social
media and other tools. The traditional marketing has been quite enhancing and e-marketing has
provided the people with a new way of acknowledging and cross-checking the information. The
online reviews and feedbacks which is also known as e-word marketing has been impacting the
businesses at large. The online reviews and social media marketing has been making it easy and
convenient for hospitality businesses to reach the customers anywhere and market its services.
The digitalization has been enhancing and adding on to the quality of services of the hospitality
industry as the competition has increased through it. The injected competition has been
motivating the organizations to deliver quality services which work in favor of the customers.
Digitalization and other technological advancement have been improvising the hospitality
industry and it could be stated too that the technology industry would provide other sectors with
new and enhancing ways of doing business. The hospitality industry has progressed through the
digitalization and the marketing industry has progressed which provided the other business
sectors with some efficient and productive ways of doing business.
Traditional Marketing Tools vs Technical/Digitalized marketing Tools
According to USA Today, (2019), marketing is an essential and one of the key ingredients for
sustaining and initiating a business organization. Marketing provides the business with
identification and this identification helps the business to grow and be acknowledged by the
customers and the public. Marketing could be stated as a mirror or an image of the product
through which the consumers and customers could access and analyze the product features and
its utility. Effective marketing provides the product and the business with a large number of
customer base with sustainability features. According to Chawla (2006), marketing exists since
the existence of business as no business could flourish or sustain without marketing. At the early

age, marketing was done manually and it provided the business with an ongoing process. In the
traditional marketing system, the tools and techniques used were manual and it involved multiple
stages for reaching the final result. Traditional marketing focused on the product features and its
productivity and used to state the best qualities and features of the product through specific tools.
The traditional tools of marketing that are still underuse include television advertisements,
newspapers, hoarding, telephonic and many others. These tools of marketing were quite
productive and enhancing in nature until the technological innovations improvised the tools and
brought in new ways of reaching people.
Technological innovations have been improvising the marketing sector and it has been
accelerating the business industry. The marketing mode and pattern have been changing with
time along with the change in the demands and requirements of the people. Technology has
transformed the lifestyle of people, mode of business, forms of marketing and all other sectors
have been impacted in some way or the other through technology. Technological marketing tools
are known as modern marketing and it utilizes some easy and customer-focused tools for
reaching to the public that too on a large scale. As per Park and Nicolau (2015), modern
marketing focuses on the requirements and the mindset of the customers rather than on the
features and qualities of a product. The marketing concept has shifted from product specific to
customer specifications. Modern marketing aims at attracting customers by revealing the best
features and utility of the product. The utility and usage of products are created and presented
through marketing to the customers, which has been increasing the business to a wide scale.
Modern marketing has been providing the business with digitalized ways of reaching people and
communication has been made easy. The new marketing style has provided the business sector
with a new path of reaching its customers through social media, and other tools. As per Hvass
and Munar (2012), Customers have a platform to state their demands and requirements which
helps in the improvement of the products and thus the satisfaction of customers gets increased.
Traditional marketing has provided modern marketing with a base on which modern marketing
works with a transformed way of reaching and presetting the details. Significance of both the
marketing is prominent and traditional marketing provides with the principals and values of
marketing while the modern marketing techniques help in meeting the requirement of the public
or customers on a wide scale.

Conclusion
The chapter provides a clear description of the concepts and ideas in the study. The hospitality
industry and the transformation of the marketing industry has been rightly met through
acknowledging various aspects and forms of marketing. The description of each concept
provides the reader with a clear understanding of the research. The major and the minor concepts
all have been explored and stated in the chapter which justifies the requirement and the results of
the research. The chapter creates the base of the research by stating the previous position and
condition of the hospitality industry as well as of the marketing industry.

Chapter 3: Research Methodology
3.1 Introduction
A research study aims to develop explicit knowledge of a particular topic. The methodology
chapter consists of a sequential and scientific approach for exploring the pertinent information
regarding the topic selected. The methods, including research philosophy, approach, design, data
collection and analysis technique, sampling strategy, used by the researcher to identify the
impact of e-WOM on the hospitality industry of Goa are discussed here. The following section
will provide a clear discussion about the procedure followed by the researcher for sampling and
collecting data from them. At the same time, the researcher has thrown light to the ethics also,
that have been considered at the time of collecting data from the sample population.
3.1 Research Methodology
The research methodology is one of the considerations which provides the ingredients and tools
for researching an effective and productive way. Research methodology provides the research
with a path to be followed for executing all the requirements in a synchronized and channelized
manner, which adds on to the quality and accuracy of the findings. The research is carried out
through a mixed methodology that is the quantitative and the qualitative, both the methodologies
are applied (Mansell and Huddy, 2018). The quantitative methodology is the one that provided
the research with some numerical presentation of data and statistical tools. The quantitative
methodology helps in stating all the information simply and understandably. The numerical
representation of the research data and findings is done through the quantitative methodology.
Quantitative methodology is known for delivering some simplified and easy to understand
results. The research utilized the quantitative methodology as it conducted a survey for gaining
data on the impact of e-word marketing on the hospitality industry in Goa. The quantitative
methodology is widely accepted and is believed to be a productive and enhancing methodology.
On the other hand, the qualitative methodology has been used for gathering the theoretical data
one-word marketing. The qualitative methodology provides with views and perspectives of
various authors and thus, the research has utilized this research to add on to the diversity in
findings. The mixed methodology provided the research with justified results and findings as the
quantitative information helped in justifying the qualitative findings and vice a versa. The mixed

methodology provides a broad concept for the results and thus, the research becomes acceptable
and accurate.
3.2 Research Philosophy
Research philosophy is one of the significant considerations in the research as it provides the
view or the belief of the research. It helps in gaining the idea about the research in a way that
would impact the readers and the ones who would apply the research findings. It is a belief about
the way in which the data and information gets collected, acknowledged and applied through
research. The research philosophy is the philosophy provides the concept of the working of the
research and the reason for its acceptability or non-acceptability could also be acknowledged
through it. The term epistemology which means what is known to be true, as opposed to
doxology which means what is believed to be true encompasses the various philosophies of
research. The research philosophy is one of the significant considerations which provides the
research with some effective way of carrying out the activities. For the concerned research,
positivism philosophy has been applied as it provided the research with a view that the social
world could be understood in an objective way. The research investigates the hospitality industry
of Goa and brings out the impact it has through the e-word marketing. The positivist philosophy
provided the research with an independent view of the concept of e-marketing. The
disassociation of personal values helps in being practical and productive for the research. The
other research philosophies that are the interpretivism, pragmatism philosophy, realistic
philosophy, etc. all were tested but the positivism has been the most suitable philosophy for the
research. It aligns with the mixed methodology factor too and other research ingredients that
were selected. The research philosophy has been quite supportive and productive or the research
as it helped in identifying the facts and true data which made the research findings relevant and
applicable.
3.2 Research Design
According to Creswell and Poth (2016), Research design another vital consideration that
provides the research with a proper path to follow to achieve productive and accurate results. For
the concerned research, descriptive research design has been used as the descriptive research
design helps in stating all the facts and data in a descriptive way which adds on to the accuracy

of the information (Rahi, 2017). The investigation of the e-word marketing and relating it with
the hotels in Goa has been done through acknowledging each factor in a descriptive way. The
descriptive research design works through describing the issue or the problem and then stating its
solutions in a descriptive manner. The descriptive design helped the research in acknowledging
the problems of the hospitality industry in Goa and the benefits it could gain through the e-word
marketing. The E-word mouth marketing and its implication in the hospitality industry have been
rightly stated in a descriptive manner which made the research quite enhancing and productive.
The other designs that are experimental and exploratory research designs could have been
applied but it would not have been supportive as the descriptive design has been. The feature of
the descriptive design which helps in presenting the problems in a describing manner which
made the research simple to understand and thus the applicability of the research got enhanced.
Research design helped in understanding and presenting the problem in the hospitality industry
of Goa in an accurate manner and thus, the solutions to it were also achieved through the same
process. The research design made the findings and the results much more specific and detailed
in nature.
3.3 Research Approach
The research approach is one of the factors which provides guidance and channelized path for
carrying out the activities. The research approach is a vital factor that takes the research accurate
and effective through its selection. There are multiple types of research approach and the
selection of the most suitable and productive approach is a tough job. The three most widely
used approaches are inductive, abductive and deductive. The deductive approach is applied
where the logic is accrued that if the premises are true, conclusions must also be true. Inductive
is applied with a logic that known premises are used for gaining some untested conclusions and
abductive is applied for known premises to generate some testable conclusions. The three
approaches carry different and enhancing views. For the concerned research abductive approach
has been applied as the hospitality industry of Goa which is a known premise is tested and
explored for gaining some conclusions which could be tested for future enhancement. The
applicability of e-word marketing in the hospitality industry of Goa is to be tested which aligns
with the abductive approach. The research approach selected has been cross-checked with the
other factors of the research which made the research much more productive and enhancing in

nature. The abductive approach aligns with mixed methodology and descriptive design, these
considerations made the research quite accepting and accurate in its findings. The research
approach has been supportive and enhancing in nature and it helped in gaining some accurate
results.
3.4 Data collection method
Data Collection is one of the most important factors in research as the entire research is based on
the data and its analysis frames up the findings of the research. Data collection method are
mainly of two types which are primary and secondary and these two methods provide some
authentic and productive data. The data collection is considered to be the factor that frames up
the entire research and its findings. Data collected and its analysis provides the research with a
platform to reach to some specific conclusions. The findings of the research are completely
based on the data collected. The primary data is the one which is collected through the primary
sources, that through the ones who have been experiencing the situation and is directly related to
the situation. It is collected mainly through interviews, surveys, and mother methods. On the
other hand, secondary data is the one that is collected through secondary sources such as books,
articles, journals, websites, etc. The secondary data source is indirectly connected with the
concerned situation. For the concerned research both the data has been collected and it has been
acknowledged accurately for relating it with the conclusions. The primary data has been
collected through surveying some consumers and managers of the hotels in Goa. This helped in
gaining the experience of the two stakeholders and their views on the e-word marketing have
been collected. The secondary data has been collected through various secondary sources that are
the books related to e-word marketing, marketing, articles, and journals, etc. Even the websites
of the hotels in Goa were explored for gaining some effective data on e-word marketing and their
business figures. The data collection tools have been rightly used in the research and it helped in
gaining some accurate information on the e-word of mouth marketing and its impact on the
hospitality industry of Goa.
3.5 Data analysis technique
The data analysis technique plays a significant role in interpreting the gathered data and reaching
the concrete idea regarding the specific topic. On that note, it is to mention that in this case of the

study regarding the significance of E-Word of Mouth marketing, quantitative data has been
collected with the help of the sets of questions. Hence, in order to collect such data, the Likert
Scale has been effective for the research team in segregating the response of the participants in a
tabular formation. In addition, for interpreting such data, the research team has been focused on
utilizing the Microsoft Excel software system. Through this software technology, the measurable
data has been presented with the graphical images so that the results can be better highlighted for
further progression in the study.
3.7 Sampling technique
The sampling technique plays a major role in conducting the studies with the involvement of the
sample population. As opined by Bilau, Witt and Lill (2018), the possible types of sampling
techniques include probability and non-probability. In order to execute the current study
regarding the importance of E-Word of Mouth marketing, non-probability purposive sampling
has been utilized in a significant manner. Random sampling helped in adding on to the diversity
to the data and thus, the conclusions drawn from the data are also widely applicable. The survey
respondents were selected randomly which provided some effective data. The customers were
selected randomly and this provided with the variability in data and the idea as what's the
frequency of customers who uses E-word marketing or knows about it. The managers of the
hotels in Goa were selected randomly too as this helped in gaining some information on the idea
and concept that the hotels carry for marketing. The random selection also provided with the idea
of what importance does the hotel's managers give to marketing and e-word of mouth marketing.
It is to mention that in the case of characteristics, the managers and the customers of the hotels of
Goa have been selected. On the other hand, in turn of the objective of the study, the key
observing area is that in order to investigate the impact of E-Word of Mouth marketing, both of
the managers and customers are the individuals, who have the ultimate experience of it.
Moreover, they are directly associated with such kind of marketing type (online reviews and
importance) in case of hotel services (Bilau, Witt and Lill 2018).
3.8 Research limitations
In order to execute the study related to the significance of the E-Word of Mouth marketing,
several constraints have arrived in front of the research team. For instance, the research team has

faced issues in case of technological resources, such as internet connection. Another major
constraint of the study has been the expensive primary data collection process through surveys.
This is because, in order to create the questionnaire, there has been a requirement for more
financial resources. However, the research team has been focused on conducting worthwhile
research for delivering new insights into the significance of the E-Word of Mouth marketing in
the hotel industry of Goa.
Ethical Consideration
Ethics is one of the considerations which makes the research authentic and widely accepted. The
consideration of ethics provides the research with identification and an authentication thus
adding on to the quality and acceptability of its results and findings. The concerned research
considered multiple ethics as it helped in making the research quite specific in nature. The
foremost ethical consideration was to follow the Data Protection Act, which helped in keeping
confidential personal information and data of the survey respondents. This added on to the
privacy of the respondents and thus the research is quite authentic. Secondly, the secondary data
collected from respective sources has been stated with its sources which ads on to its quality and
specification. The ethical consideration for the research has been supporting the findings and
thus, the research is considered to be widely applicable. The marketing tools and techniques all
have been investigated through some authentic sources and this has made the information
reliable and applicable. The hotel managers were personally emailed and asked for the survey
which made the act much more authentic. The information about the hotels has not been shared
without their permission which was the most significant ethical consideration in the research.
Conclusion
The chapter provides a clear description of the methodology or the path that the research has
followed. The identification of each element that frames u the requirement of the research
execution has been rightly stated through the chapter. The research methodology which is one of
the most significant considerations has been justified for its selection and other elements such as
design, approach, and philosophy all has been rightly marked. The selection of each element has
been done through accurate acknowledgment and alignment of the elements. The chapter
justifies each selection and the productivity that it has contributed to the research.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis
Questionnaire for consumers
Q1. How far do you agree that E-word of mouth has a significant role in the case of the
marketing of the hospitality industry in Goa?
Total number of
participants for the
question
Areas of response Frequency of
participants for the
question
Percentage of the
frequency
30 Strongly Agree 10 33%
30 Agree 5 17%
30 Neutral 5 17%
30 Disagree 5 17%
30 Strongly Disagree 5 16%
Table 1: Significance of E-word of mouth
10; 33%
5; 17%5; 17%
5; 17%
5; 17%
Significance of E-word of mouth
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly Disagree

Figure 2: Graphical presentation for Q1
Based on the above question, it can be analyzed that a large number of participants (10) have
responded to "Strongly Agree". On the other hand, for the rest of the options, proportionate
responses have been gained, which is 5 for each. Hence, it can be analyzed that E-word of mouth
has a significant role in case of the marketing of the hospitality industry in Goa indeed. The
consumers have been quite clear in their answers and the data reveals that 33% strongly agreed
to the fact that e-word of mouth marketing carries a significant impact on the hotels business in
Goa. This also reveals that the consumers in Goa have been highly active in their approach
towards selecting a hotel. The idea of e-word of mouth marketing is known to them and they
have been utilizing the marketing tool for gaining information and making their choices. The
decision making of the consumers has been dependent on the e-word marketing and thus, it
provides the research with some authentic and productive results (De Costa, 2005).
Q2. Do you think that the analysis of online reviews is essential before booking a room in
the hotel of Goa?
Total number of
participants for the
question
Areas of response Frequency of
participants for the
question
Percentage of the
frequency
30 Strongly Agree 6 20%
30 Agree 9 30%
30 Neutral 5 17%
30 Disagree 5 17%
30 Strongly Disagree 5 16%
Table 2: Importance of online reviews analysis

6; 20%
9; 30%
5; 17%
5; 17%
5; 17%
Importance of online reviews analysis
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral
Disagree Strongly Disagree
Figure 3: Graphical presentation for Q2
With the help of the above question, it can be noticed that the highest number of participants (9)
has responded to "Agree". Apart from that, proportionate responses have been gained for
"Neutral”, “Disagree” and “Strongly Disagree", which is 5, for each option. Thus, it can be
evaluated that the analysis of online reviews is indeed essential before booking a room in the
hotel of Goa. Though it has been acknowledged that the consumers carry a view that the online
reviews need to be reviewed for visiting any hotel in Goa, but the influential percentage from the
positive reviews has not been acknowledged. It is believed that the reviews help in selecting the
best hotel but does the positive comments on the website impact equally the consumers as the
negative comments do. Earlier tourists were required to explore the hotels manually and then
decide on the best one but there existed multiple other considerations too, while in the present
time, all are available online but the reliability factor is the matter of concern. There are hotels
that display false reviews and this could lead the consumer towards a wrong or unproductive
decision. Analysis of online reviews could be considered as a helping tool for decision making
but the consumers should not be completely dependent on the online reviews, as this could lead
to a fake decision.
Q3. According to you, does E-word of mouth have a negative impact on the hospitality
sector in Goa only?

Total number of
participants for the
question
Areas of response Frequency of
participants for the
question
Percentage of the
frequency
30 Strongly Agree 5 16%
30 Agree 5 17%
30 Neutral 5 17%
30 Disagree 7 23%
30 Strongly Disagree 8 27%
Table 3: Negative impact of E-word of mouth
5; 17%
5; 17%
5; 17%7; 23%
8; 27%
Negati ve impact of E-word of mouth
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral
Disagree Strongly Disagree
Figure 4: Graphical presentation for Q3
Through the above question, the key observing area is that the largest number of participants (8)
has responded to "Strongly Disagree". On another hand, in the case of the three options, such as,
"Strongly Agree”, “Agree” and “Neutral", the response is the lowest, which is 5 for each. In a
way, it could be stated that Goa has a mixed impact of the e-word of mouth marketing in the

hospitality industry which is based on the genuine and fake reviews. Goa is one of the famous
tourist spots for youngsters and this has been providing growth to the hospitality industry of the
state. The youngsters have been the new face of technology and it has been impacting their
choices and decision making factors. The curiosity among the youngsters of acknowledging and
cross-checking each aspect of the services they would receive has been adding on the pressure to
the organizations and hotels. E-word mouth marketing has been impacting the youngster's
choices and they have been acknowledging and analyzing the reviews through various
perspectives. This has been impacting the organizations with fake reviews in a negative way
while the ones which are genuine and accurate in their actions and services have been
progressing. Goa hospitality industry carries the capability of growing through avoiding fake
comments or reviews on the website.
Question 4
Through E-word marketing based decision, what kind of experience you had in Goa?
Total number of
participants for the
question
Areas of response Frequency of
participants for the
question
Percentage of the
frequency
30 Highly Positive 7 23%
30 Positive 4 13%
30 Neutral 5 16%
30 Negative 6 20%
30 Highly Negative 8 26%
Table 4: E-word mouth of word-based decision

23%
13%
17%
20%
27%
E-word mouth of word based
decision
Figure 5: Graphical presentation for Q4
The consumers had mixed experience in Goa through the decisions they took based on E-word
marketing. There has been about 23 and 13 percent of consumers whose experience was positive
and they did not regret the decisions made based on the online reviews. While there has been a
part of the consumers who had some highly negative experiences and thus, this reveals that e-
word marketing based decisions could lead to some highly negative experiences if it is not well
reversed or cross-checked. The online reviews for the renowned and high-class hotels could be
believed to be real but the small hotel's reviews need to be verified and cross-checked before
considering it in the decision.
Question 5
Traditional marketing was much more effective and genuine than modern marketing, what are
your views?
Total number of
participants for the
question
Areas of response Frequency of
participants for the
question
Percentage of the
frequency
30 Strongly Agree 6 20%
30 Agree 5 16%

30 Neutral 4 13%
30 Disagree 6 20%
30 Strongly Disagree 8 26%
Table 5: Traditional Marketing vs Modern Marketing
21%
17%
14%
21%
28%
Traditi onal Marketi ng vs Modern
Marketi ng
Figure 5: Graphical presentation for Q5
Traditional Marketing and modern marketing transformation have been quite huge and it has
changed the perspective of marketing altogether. On acknowledging the consumer's views on the
change they have been favoring modern marketing with 26% who strongly disagreed with the
question that traditional marketing was more effective than modern marketing. The data reveals
that consumers have been practicing modern marketing techniques for gaining information about
the product or services. Modern marketing has been easy for consumers to explore and gain
knowledge. The hospitality industry of Goa has developed and experienced growth through
modern marketing, specifically e-word marketing. The transformation of marketing practices has
been impacting the lifestyle of people and thus, the change in technology and marketing industry
has been quite effective for the economy too.
Questionnaire for managers

Q1. How far do you agree that the evaluation of E-word of mouth has significantly changed
the hospitality industry of Goa in the last five years?
Options Total respondents Number of
respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Strongly Agree 6 1 16.66
Agree 6 4 66.66
Neutral 6 0 0
Disagree 6 1 16.66
Strongly
Disagree
6 0 0
Table 4: Responses for the impact of evaluating E-word of mouth on the hospitality industry
of Goa
Strongly
Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
1
4
0
1
0
Number of respondents
Options
Number of Respondents
Figure 5: Graphical representation for the respondents on the impact of evaluating E-word of
mouth on the hospitality industry of Goa
The majority of the respondents (4) have agreed and 1 out of the 6 managers have strongly
agreed that in the last five years, evaluation of E-word of mouth has significantly changed the
hospitality industry of Goa. Only 1 manager has disagreed and none of them has strongly
disagreed or given a neutral response. Through the last five years of assessment, it has been

experienced by the managers that the business has accelerated in the hospitality industry of Goa
because of the e-word marketing. E-word marketing has been providing the industry with new
opportunities to explore and grab a large number of the customer base.
Q2. How far do you agree that the trend of online review aid is increasing competition
among the hotels in Goa?
Options Total respondents Number of
respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Strongly Agree 6 2 33.33
Agree 6 3 50
Neutral 6 0 0
Disagree 6 1 16.66
Strongly
Disagree
6 0 0
Table 5: Responses regarding the way trend of online review aid enhancing competition in
Goa hospitality sector
Strongly
Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
2
3
0
1
0
Number of respondents
Options
Number of Respondents
Figure 6: Graphical representation for the responses regarding the way trend of online review
aid enhancing competition in Goa hospitality sector

The highest number of respondents (3) have agreed and 2 participants have selected the option
"Strongly agree" to support the positive impact of online review aid on enhancing the
competition in the hospitality sector of Goa. Only 1 manager has disagreed although none of
them has strongly disagreed. Not even a single participant has given neutral responses. Goa is a
small place, but filled with tourists, has been gaining business through modern marketing tools
and this also conveys that competition has also been increasing. The new marketing trend in the
hotel business, specifically e-word marketing has been accelerating the growth but the question
of sustainability is still unanswered.
Q3. What are the key facilities you have that influence visitors in sharing positive feedback
for your hospitality services?
Options Total respondents Number of
respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Cleanliness and
Excellent ambiance
6 1 16.66
High-quality Customer
service
6 1 16.66
Relevant Amenities 6 1 16.66
Availability of in-room
technologies
6 1 16.66
Convenience in post-
booking
communication
6 2 33.33
Table 6: Responses regarding the key facilities available in hotels that influence visitors
sharing positive reviews
Different managers have selected individual options as the key facility or major characteristic of
their customer services that influence the visitors in sharing positive reviews. Only the option
“Convenience in post-booking communication” has been selected by 2 managers. Other
managers have chosen the options of cleanliness, ambiance, in-room technologies, and others.
The modernizing lifestyle has been supporting the business growth in Goa and this has been
revealed through the survey. The managers revealed that the consumers who have the

opportunity of post reviewing the hotel were quite friendly and attracted to the business.
Lifestyle has been impacting the growth and development of the hospitality industry as well as in
the marketing industry.
1
1
11
2
Number of respondents
Cleanliness and Excellent ambiance High-quality Customer service
Relevant Amenities Availability of in-room technologies
Convenience in post-booking communication
Figure 7: Graphical representation for the responses regarding the key facilities available in
hotels that influence visitors sharing positive reviews
Question 4
Will sustainability be experienced in the growth of the hospitality industry of Goa through e-
word marketing?
Options Total respondents Number of
respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Highly Possible 6 1 16.66
Possible 6 1 16.66
Neutral 6 1 16.66
Might be possible 6 2 33.33

Impossible 6 1 16.66
Table 7: Sustainability Factor
Highly Possible
Possible
Neutral
Might be possible
Impossible
Sustainability Fator
Highly Possible Possible Neutral
Might be possible Impossible
Figure 8: Sustainability Factor
The sustainability factor for the growth and development experienced by the e-word marketing is
one of the crucial and important aspects of the concern. Through the managers' survey, it is
revealed that it might not be possible to sustain the growth achieved by the e-word of mouth
marketing as the factor of being genuine in each word in the review is quite sensitive. Goa has
been a mixture of high class and small scale hotel business and thus the criteria of genuine
reviews and fake reviews are also present. These factors would impact the sustainability concern
of the industry. Sustainability factors as per the managers or the respondents is a critical aspect
of e-word marketing and the changing technological practices would bring on new ways of
marketing which would impact the business growth as well.
Question 5

The marketing industry has shifted its vision from the seller's perspective to the consumer's
perspective.
Options Total respondents Number of
respondents
Percentage of
Respondents
Strongly Agree 6 1 16.66
Agree 6 2 33.33
Neutral 6 1 16.66
Disagree 6 1 16.66
Strongly
Disagree
6 1 16.66
Table 8: Shift in Marketing Perspective
Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
6 6 6 6 6
1 2 1 1 1
16.66
33.33
16.66 16.66 16.66
Shift in Marketing Perspective
Total respondents Number of respondents
Percentage of Respondents
Figure 9: Shift in Marketing Perspective
The marketing industry has been impacting the business sector on a wide scale and it carries a
direct relation with the growth and sustainability of the business. Through the survey, it has been
revealed that the managers of hotels in Goa, has realized that the marketing strategy has been
transforming its vision and shifted to the consumer's perspective instead of the seller's
perspective. This means that the marketing strategies or tool are framed in a manner which is
more convenient for the consumers to explore than for the sellers. The cost and applications of

the strategies are kept on the secondary priority while the consumer convenience and ease of
availability and its exploring capacity is kept o the foremost priority. This has been impacting the
sellers or the business owners in perspectives of cost, convenience, and many other ways.
Results from Consumer Questionnaires
The results show that the majority of the tourists/guests (55%) belonged to their late 20s and
early 30s, 30% belonged to their late 30s and early 40s, while 15% were in the age group 45+.
Moreover, 75% of the guests were employed, earning a yearly income of Rs. 6-9 lakhs, 10%
were students earning a yearly income of Rs. 1-3 lakhs, another 10% were retirees earning Rs. 3-
6 lakhs annually and 5% were housewives.
Information regarding how guests got to know about the hotel
The results regarding how the guests got to know about the hotel are shown below:
Information Regarding Hotel
online reviews
previous trips
tourism website
WOM
When asked about how they got to know about the hotel, 23% said they had seen positive online
reviews and comments on social media platforms, 17% said they had been to the place
previously and the reason they came back was that the hotel had lived up to their expectations,
17% of the consumers said that they had seen various tourism websites and wanted to visit the
place.

Therefore, the hypothesis that positive reviews and recommendations on online platforms play a
significant role in the hotel’s business can be deemed as correct since the majority of the guests
stated that they had heard about the hotel from online recommendations on social media
platforms.
Positive reviews could be impactful and it could accelerate the business but the negative impact
should not be avoided. The impact of negative reviews is much more impactful than positive
ones. Once a negative review is placed over the portal or online than the words could impact
each reader's decision which reduces its sales. Thus, the e-word marketing tool could be a threat
to the business too. In fact, it could be said that the concerned marketing tool adds on to the
accuracy in quality to be maintained. The sensitivity of the business actions and services gets
added on through the e-word marketing tool practice or inclusion in the business.
Results of what service or quality consumers seek most while choosing a hotel
The information received about the quality of service that is most sought after by guests/tourists
while choosing a hotel is shown in the chart below:
Most Sought-After Qualities Of The Hotel
responsive staff
Price
Amenities
Location
When the guests or tourists were asked about what qualities they most preferred while choosing
a hotel, 65% of the customers said they seek a courteous and responsive staff, 20% of them

regarded price or the value for one’s money as the most important quality, 10% of them regarded
amenities as the most important quality while 5% of them regarded the location of the hotel to be
the most important aspect.
Therefore, our second hypothesis stating that it is the amenities and services provided by the
hotel that guests seek the most can be regarded as incorrect as the data shows that consumers are
more impressed by the hotel staff’s considerate and responsive nature to their needs and
requirements.
The consumer's survey provided a clear picture of the e-word marketing and its applicability and
productivity in the hospitality industry of Goa. The survey revealed that the consumers have
been practicing e-word marketing in their day to day life and it has been molding their decision
to a great extent. Concerning the hospitality industry of Goa, being impacted by the decisions of
the consumers or practices of the consumers, it has been quite impactful. The consumers in Goa
has mainly been the youngsters with some adults and old aged people, and they have been
exploring e-word marketing tool for gaining some enhanced services in the hotels. The accurate
centered youngsters and adults have been practicing verification and cross-check of the reviews
on the online portal and websites which has been revealing the fake reviews scenario. The new
trending e-word marketing impacts the consumer's decision and thus the clarity on genuine and
fake reviews is another significant factor to be explored. Technology has provided with
mechanical tools to be explored for making decisions but the consumer shave to be sensitive
enough to understand the realistic reviews and fake reviews (Kotler, Jain, Jain and Maesincee,
2002). Thus, one cannot be based on the technology for all his activities and blindly follow the
tool. Consumers need to be active enough to explore the reviews and verify it with other sources
and information for gaining accuracy in their decisions.
Our findings are also in accordance with the proposal of Sparks and Browning (2011) that social
media gives an exceptional opportunity for managers to convey their hotel’s mission and
services to a wide range of audiences. As millennials who seek emotional connection before
making a purchase decision, this builds trust in them. Therefore, when people search for hotels
online, they seek responsive staff members and management.
Results from Manager Questionnaire

For this study, 6 hotels of Goa were chosen, out of which 3 were 4-star hotels, 2 of them were 3-
stars and 1 was a 5-star hotel. The managers were asked whether their hotel was subjected to any
negative reviews in the past and the strategies that they used in order to tackle the situation.
Moreover, the managers were asked if they had incorporated any changes within their business’s
operations in order to regain the trust of their customers and how successful the outcome had
been of this endeavor.
Negative reviews and the hotel’s business
From the results of the questionnaires distributed among hotel managers, 33.33% of the
managers are agreed upon the fact that the trends of the online reviews are increasing the
competition among the hotel industry in Goa and all over India as well. On the other hand, 50%
of the managers are slightly agreed with the factors. The managers, who are believing in the
traditional business methods are not agreed upon the fact that online business trends are however
affecting the business structure of the Hotel industry in Goa.
As is revealed through the consumer's survey that the negative reviews impact their decision to a
great extent and it influences the consumers highly, the managers' survey revealed the accuracy
that is maintained by them for achieving maximum customers. The e-word marketing has been
taken up by many hotels because their competitors have taken it up and thus to maintain and
serve its customers on equal grounds without losing them, has led them into digital marketing.
There are hotels in Goa that are not quite favoring e-word marketing but they have t take up the
tool because of the consumer's demand or for their sustainability. There are organizations who
know about the negativity of e-word marketing and the loss that it could create to the business
because of some minor mistake. The negative reviews carry more influential power than the
positive ones and thus, the practice of e-word of mouth marketing is not supported by all the
hotels in Goa.
Therefore, the hypotheses that negative reviews and comments may influence the hotel's
business negatively can be deemed as correct. Moreover, the proposition by Pan and Zhang
(2011) that when potential customers are met with negative reviews about a hotel on a social
media platform, they are most likely to move to other options, can also be deemed valid. This
was also shown by Boo and Kin (2013) that negative reviews affect the hotel's reputation greatly

and people tend to base the decision of booking based on these. If people find negative
comments or reviews regarding the service of a hotel they will be more likely to switch to other
ones with better ratings and reviews (Min, Lim and Magnini, 2014).
Incorporating positive changes in the hotel’s operations
The hotel managers, who received negative reviews online, dealt with them through considerate
responses and offered to give complementary services, such as gift baskets or dinner on the
house. Moreover, 60% of the managers who received such negative comments incorporated
various changes in their operations in order to eliminate the chances of receiving negative
comments in the future. These managers claimed a positive change in the online reviews for their
hotels and saw betterment in their profits.
The managers when tested through the sustainability factor of the e-word of mouth marketing in
the hospitality industry of Goa, then they have been revealing that the new trend of marketing
through online reviews would not be sustained for a long time. The reason for their such
conclusions has been the fake and irrelevant reviews on the portal and websites The competition
has grown to such an extent that the issues of fake reviews have grown up which impacts the
business highly. The sustainability factor in the e-word of mouth marketing needs to be worked
on and the reliability of the reviews needs to be checked through different sources. The
maintenance of positive and productive reviews needs to be done through accurate service and
quality maintenance, a minor mistake could lead to drastic negative results for the hotel
(Papathanassis and Knolle, 2011).
Therefore, our hypothesis that acting on customer reviews and incorporating positive changes in
the hotel’s operations may influence a positive outcome in the hotel’s business can be considered
as correct. Moreover, the proposals of (Lewis and McCann, 2004; Maxham, 2001; Zemke and
Bell, 1990) that offering apologies, compensations and considerations may compensate for
management or service failures in the hospitality sectors.
Discussion
It is observed in the managers’ responses that the majority of them have accepted the fact that E-
word of mouth has immensely changed the hospitality industry of Goa in the last few years.
These responses explain that the management in the majority of the hotels in Goa now focuses

on the online reviews shared by the travelers about their customer service quality and other
facilities (IndiaSpend, 2018). In this way, an online review has become the trustworthy sources
of information not only for the visitors but for the hotel managers as well. A very few
percentages of the managers have disagreed so these responses have clearly explained that hotels
in Goa are now currently facing fierce competition. At the time of booking hotels, the visitors not
only check the reviews shared by the other travelers but also compare between a few hotels,
located in nearby areas for availing specific services. Cleanliness and excellent ambiance have
been selected by a manager because they are highly concerned about it. High-quality customer
services have been considered as an important component for some hotels so they train their
employees and offer customized services as per the preferences of the customers. Some of the
hotels in Goa consider the in-room amenities like offering tea/coffee following after entering the
room, restaurant, complimentary breakfast as the most important components to satisfy
customers. Some of the hotels try to satisfy visitors by providing the availability of in-room
technologies such as internet access, smart television, smart check-in process, smart showers,
and others. However, in most cases, travelers face difficulties in communication after booking a
hotel in Goa (Tourist Statistics 2011-12). Therefore, a number of hotels think it is important to
develop a proper communication system for their visitors otherwise they will share negative
reviews.
The research provides some authentic and progressing findings that the consumers have been
favoring the traditional marketing techniques to some extent and modern marketing on a minor
scale. The consumers have been practicing e-word of mouth marketing and it has been
influencing their decisions on the hospitality choices and thus impacting the industry in Goa. The
consumer's survey also revealed that they have been utilizing the sources and data on the website
and portals for reaching some specific decision but it needs to be cross-verified. According to
Yang, Mao and Tang (2017), e-word marketing influences the consumer's decision on a major
scale and this factor could be utilized by the organization through enhancing and maintaining
their services. The new model of marketing or modernized marketing provides the customers
with a platform to state their views be it positive or negative and thus channelize the organization
to work in an efficient and effective manner. E-word marketing or online reviews is one of the
most effective and influencing marketing which works in favor of the consumer as the
consumers could state their thoughts about experience and help other consumers to make

decisions effectively and accurately. As per Bilgihan, Peng and Kandampully (2014), marketing
has always been an influential concern but e-word marketing has added on to the acceleration of
being influenced. Though the concerned marketing seems to be customer-specific it works
effectively if the organization is accurate in its quality of services and products. Some positive
reviews or words spread through e-word marketing tools reaches to a wide number of people and
the influential factor is quite productive and enhancing.
The traditional marketing has been much more genuine and effective because of its accuracy and
quality maintenance. The traditional marketing was sellers specific and it included all the factors
which favored the sellers as well as the customers. The customer's survey included youngsters,
adults and elderly adults which helped in reaching some effective and diversified conclusions.
This helped in adding on to the research applicability and acceptability criteria.
According to Muniz and O'guinn (2001), E-word marketing has provided the hospitality industry
with a new and enhanced way of carrying out the activities. Technological innovations have
provided the marketing industry with productive ways of carrying out the business and thus
attracting the customers. This has been impacting the competition level in the market and thus,
this brought in the drawbacks of the technology. Competition makes the business bring on new
and different ways of attracting the customers which influences other business and thus even the
negative actions of a competitor impacts the other businesses. The sustainability factor is one of
the key reasons for which the competitors take up the new techniques and tools to attract the
consumers irrespective of what impact it would have on the business in the long term.
Sustainability and competition are the two main reasons for which modern marketing tools, such
as the e-word of mouth marketing gets popularized. The sustainability factor for such tools of
marketing is not quite authentic and reliable as technological innovations would bring on new
ways of marketing in the future. The impact of e-word of mouth marketing is quite direct and
fast but the sustainability of those impacts is not sure.

Chapter 5: Conclusion
This research is based on the evaluation of the influence of E-word of mouth marketing on
consumer behavior in the hospitality industry. For this study, the hospitality industry of Goa has
been researched. As technology has advanced and new methods of marketing are evolving,
social media marketing has also become one of the most prominent methods of effective
marketing.
According to Goa Tourism (2019), Goa is one of the famous tourist spots for youngsters and this
has been providing growth to the hospitality industry of the state. The youngsters have been the
new face of technology and it has been impacting their choices and decision making factors. The
curiosity among the youngsters of acknowledging and cross-checking each aspect of the services
they would receive, has been adding on the pressure to the organizations and hotels. E-word
mouth marketing has been impacting the youngster's choices and they have been acknowledging
and analyzing the reviews through various perspectives. This has been impacting the
organizations with fake reviews in a negative way while the ones which are genuine and accurate
in their actions and services have been progressing. Goa hospitality industry carries the
capability of growing through avoiding fake comments or reviews on the website. The managers
when tested through the sustainability factor of the e-word of mouth marketing in the hospitality
industry of Goa, then they have been revealing that the new trend of marketing through online
reviews would not be sustained for a long time. The reason for their such conclusions has been
the fake and irrelevant reviews on the portal and websites The competition has grown to such an
extent that the issues of fake reviews have grown up which impacts the business highly. The
sustainability factor in the e-word of mouth marketing needs to be worked on and the reliability
of the reviews needs to be checked through different sources. The maintenance of positive and
productive reviews needs to be done through accurate service and quality maintenance, a minor
mistake could lead to drastic negative results for the hotel. The research provided the fact that the
sustainability of the business through depending on the e-word of mouth marketing could not be
achieved. Sustainability of hotel business, the sustainability of customers, sustainability of
marketing tools and sustainability of technological innovations all are under question.

This study involved a total of 6 hotels of Goa whose managers were given questionnaires
regarding how they tackle online negative reviews and whether they incorporate changes in their
operation because of them. Moreover, 30 guests from these hotels were also involved in the
study who were questioned about how they got to know about the hotel and what qualities of the
hotel they seek when making the decision of their stay while traveling.
Limitations of the research and recommendations for future studies
The topic of this research is a very vast area of study as it includes the hospitality industry and
the modes of marketing, most specifically social media marketing and human psychology in
terms of consumer purchase behavior. Therefore, the research narrowed the area to that of the
hospitality industry of Goa and consumer behavior related to online reviews and
recommendations.
Due to the limitation of time, the study consists of a small sample size. This proposes a limitation
in the research as a small sample size may result in a biased result. For future studies, it is
recommended that this research is employed again with a greater sample size for more reliable
results. As the research consisted of a small sample size, no statistical analysis could be
performed on the data collected from the questionnaires. However, if this study is repeated with
greater sample size and sophisticated computer software to perform complex analysis, more
refined results can be extracted.

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