Exploring User-Generated Images in Online Reviews of Hotels

Abstract

Consumers within the tourism industry have become increasingly dependent upon electronic word-of-mouth, such as online reviews, when making purchase decisions. Previous research in this area has explored the importance of textual content within online consumer reviews; however, little research has been carried out with regard to the role and influence of online user-generated visual content. This study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the content of user-generated images on TripAdvisor. Findings from both qualitative and quantitative research methods show that the difference, in terms of its helpfulness to consumers, is insignificant when comparing online reviews with accompanying photos and reviews without it. Results also indicate positive correlation between overall image quality and image usefulness.