Exploring Cross-Cultural Differences in Hotel Online Reviews: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and UK Perspectives.
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2024-01-25
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en
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This research investigated cross-cultural variation in online hotel reviews, focusing on the differences and similarities between Chinese and UK perspectives. Utilizing content analysis, the study examined hotel reviews from two prominent platforms, Booking.com (UK) and Ctrip.com (China), employing cultural models by Hofstede and Hall as analytical frameworks. The study explored mentions of hotel attributes (room quality, cleanliness, location, staff service, and price) and visual cues (images, emoticons, and emphatic marks) in 60 reviews, each from Hilton hotels in the UK and China. Contrary to expectations, UK reviewers exhibit similarities with Chinese reviewers in emphasizing room quality but diverge in highlighting cleanliness. Additionally, UK reviewers mention location more frequently, challenging assumptions about individualistic cultures. Surprisingly, Chinese reviewers surpass UK reviewers in staff service mentions, challenging established literature. Both groups exhibit similar concerns regarding prices. The study also affirmed that high-context Chinese culture prefers images and emoticons, aligning with existing research. the design of hotel review platforms influences visual cue usage, highlighting a nuanced interplay of culture and interface. This research contributes insights into cross-cultural communication in online hotel reviews, emphasizing the role of cultural context in shaping evaluative expressions.
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