Impact of e-servicescape on hotel booking intention: examining the moderating role of COVID-19

Purpose The paper aims to illuminate the relationship between attitude toward the hotel’s website (e-servicescape) and purchase intention. It proposes modeling the dimension of the hotel’s website, its impact on building attitude toward the website and the relations with purchase intention. Further, the role of social risk arising from COVID-19 on the relationship between attitude and purchase intention is explored. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted empirical research using an online questionnaire based on a comprehensive evaluation of prior literature. The online questionnaire has 15 questions, and data is gathered from guests who have visited the hotel’s website in the preceding year. SmartPLS was used to analyze the data. Attitude toward the website has been identified as a higher-order factor, and a two-stage embedding technique was adopted for analysis. Findings The paper gives empirical evidence about how different dimensions of a hotel’s website influence one’s attitude. The finding indicates that the ambience factor, i.e. how effectively a website provides a pleasant and interesting atmosphere for online visitors, is the most critical component for attitude development. Additionally, the finding reveals the negative moderating effect of social risk on the relationship between attitude and purchase intention. Research limitations/implications Since demographic factors play a significant role in the social-risk component, the study findings may lack generalizability. As a result, scholars are urged to do more study on the offered ideas. Practical implications The paper includes implications for the development of a better e-servicescape, which should incorporate the dimensions discussed in the study to entice the customers for hotel booking and can remove the fear of social risk. Originality/value This paper addresses an established need by examining how social risk affects the relationship between attitude toward a website and purchase intention.