Yoonyoung Nam

This study investigates how spatial competition influences the quality of hotel properties in the lodging market. We collected hotel characteristics and online rating data for 3,443 properties in Texas, USA, spanning from 2010 to 2019. A two-way fixed-effects panel data model indicated that spatial competition improved hotel quality in the vicinity. Specifically, a 10% increase in spatial competition led to a 0.56% increase in hotel quality, as reflected in a 5-point online rating scale. Drawing from institutional theory and resource dependence theory, we further explored how hotel characteristics related to customer expectations and available resources moderated this relationship. Higher customer expectations, as evidenced by hotels’ relative quality and guest portfolios, intensified competitive pressure; hotel resources, such as class and employee wage levels, enhanced the positive impact of competition. Our findings’ practical and theoretical implications are summarized in the closing section.

This study explores travel risk perception through the lens of behavioral economics, focusing on the concept of cognitive inconsistency, wherein individuals concurrently hold varying perceptions based on their distinct social identities (e.g., as either residents or tourists). Using data from a multi-wave national survey, we identify significant intra-personal inconsistencies in travel risk perception, driven by past travel experience and immediate plans, which independently shape tourists’ social identity and increase inconsistency in their travel risk perceptions. This inconsistency in perception significantly influences travel-related decisions, with individuals more likely to modify their travel plans to alleviate the discomfort arising from conflicting risk assessments. This study underscores the pivotal role of behavioral economics in advancing understanding in the tourism literature, highlighting its advantages in capturing the nuanced dynamics of perception.