The Role of Travel Blogs in the process of Travel Planning
Davydova, Ekaterina (2012)
HAAGA-HELIA ammattikorkeakoulu
2012
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012052910409
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2012052910409
Tiivistelmä
The Internet is nowadays the most important tool in any kind of business. Hospitality business is not an exception. Different tourism organizations are trying to use all the possibilities that the Internet opens to them with 100% effectiveness, but there is still a certain lack of knowledge concerning many of the features that are available nowadays with the help of World Wide Web.
The objective of this thesis was to study the phenomenon of blogging and its role in the process of travel planning.
Theoretical Framework concentrated on the properties of UGC, specifically blogs and their benefit towards other sources of information. The process of choosing of travel destination was also studied in deep in order to understand the stages on which blogs as information sources are the most useful.
The data for this research was collected through literature review and conducting the survey. The empirical part of the research was implemented by using a quantitative questionnaire, which was spread via the Internet to people who read travel blogs.
The findings of the study showed that travel blogs have got several important roles in travel planning process: they act as motivators, sources of important information, as well as a way to give feedback. There are specific qualities that make blogs trustworthy, and if the blogger knows those, a blog might become a very effective and cheap marketing tool.
The findings of the given research might be extremely useful for any company in travel busi-ness which wants to learn how to effectively track and implement online word-of-mouth. A few constructional suggestions were made for those companies in order to wisely use blogging in business and understand the world of blogosphere and its huge capabilities.
The objective of this thesis was to study the phenomenon of blogging and its role in the process of travel planning.
Theoretical Framework concentrated on the properties of UGC, specifically blogs and their benefit towards other sources of information. The process of choosing of travel destination was also studied in deep in order to understand the stages on which blogs as information sources are the most useful.
The data for this research was collected through literature review and conducting the survey. The empirical part of the research was implemented by using a quantitative questionnaire, which was spread via the Internet to people who read travel blogs.
The findings of the study showed that travel blogs have got several important roles in travel planning process: they act as motivators, sources of important information, as well as a way to give feedback. There are specific qualities that make blogs trustworthy, and if the blogger knows those, a blog might become a very effective and cheap marketing tool.
The findings of the given research might be extremely useful for any company in travel busi-ness which wants to learn how to effectively track and implement online word-of-mouth. A few constructional suggestions were made for those companies in order to wisely use blogging in business and understand the world of blogosphere and its huge capabilities.