The Role of Brand in Influencing Online Hotel Booking

This study aimed to explore how brand awareness and brand image influence customers’ intention to book hotels online. It also examined the role of quality perception, price perception, and value perception as mediators, both separately and in combination. Data was collected from 514 online travellers to North Indian hotels based on a judgemental sampling technique which was then analysed with the application of structural equation modelling involving confirmatory factor analysis followed by path analysis. The data analysis software Analysis of Momentum Structure (AMOS)-20 was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis and PROCESS macro-3.4 on Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)-23 software was used to perform path analysis involving the measurements of latent constructs. The results confirm that value perception serves as a mediator in the relationship between brand awareness and booking intention, as well as brand image and booking intention in both serial and parallel mediations. Perceived quality alone does not mediate the relationship between brand awareness or brand image and booking intention. However, the significance of the impact emerges when brand image precedes perceived quality as a mediator between brand awareness and booking intention. This study managed to throw light on the importance of two major brand attributes in influencing customers’ booking intention. This can give clarity on the success factor of both established businesses and new-born start-ups.