Abstract:The aim of this study is to develop a methodology to determine the competitive online positioning of lodging companies in different tourist destinations. The rise of the digital age has allowed many customers to share their opinions through specialized websites, providing a dynamic and constantly updated evaluation of the market. In this context, competitiveness is an essential factor in the economic sustainability of destinations. The competitive positioning of destinations is determined by the scale of variables used by Booking.com. The price and lodging category variables are also used, as well as three new variables derived from the initial scale: the quality average, value and added value. This methodology provides a tool to determine the level of competitiveness of the lodging offered in tourist destinations, based on which, actions can be taken to improve destinations' positioning.

Online reputation is a strategic element of firms' competitiveness. Companies need to manage their reputations and the image that they communicate through the Internet. This paper proposes a model to determine the main aspects that define a competitive online reputation: coherence, veracity, and intensity. The traditional methods that have been used to determine service quality must be adapted to new digital developments and their effects on customers' behavior. Therefore, a gap analysis is performed to define the key aspects that must be managed in order to create and maintain a powerful reputation and image in the companies' communication. Since this subject is too complex to be implemented in distinct sectors and ambits, different lines of research are proposed to expand this new critical line of study.As online reputation is becoming a critical factor for the level of income of companies, it is necessary to develop a communication strategy to achieve the economic sustainability of tourism or e-commerce firms [36,37] and tourist destinations [38,39]. At present, it is necessary to consider the model for measuring the quality of customer service due to technological and communications development. While the method for measuring quality has been based on internal surveys of companies carried out among their customers [9], the rise of opinion portals on the Internet has led to a new way of measuring the quality of service in an open way and shared with other users. In addition, the impact on demand is so high that it is critical for managers to guide their decisions to improve their online reputation [3,5,7].The objective of this study is to propose a model to determine the gaps that managers must take into account to achieve an effective reputation on the web. This methodology is designed to improve the analysis and decisions made by practitioners and serve as a source of information for researchers. The methodology and evaluations proposed can be applied to sectors with high Internet communication activity, such as hospitality and e-commerce. In order to achieve this objective, the next section presents a literature review with the aim of formulating a model for gap analysis of the online reputation in the methodology section. Finally, the main conclusions and future research focused on developing this line of research are presented.

Price is fundamental in the competitive strategy of lodgings. Determining whether a company is setting its prices appropriately in relation to its main competitors and customer expectations is essential in the new digital age. Online reputation is a way of measuring customer ratings and, when shared on the Internet, it generates expectations for future users. On the other hand, websites specializing in tourism constantly provide updated information about the prices offered by lodgings. The purpose of this study is to establish whether there is a relationship between price and the main variables of online reputation (perceived value, added value and perceived quality of service) as well as the function that best suits considering the category of accommodation, using the information available on the website Booking.com. The methodology applied is regression analysis using different functions (linear, logarithmic, inverse, quadratic and cubic). In addition, 4- and 5-star lodgings are analysed separately from those with 3 stars or less, concluding that there are significant differences between the variables that best explain the price, as well as the functions that best achieve this fit. In 4 and 5-star accommodations, the average quality of service variable is the one most related to prices, whereas in 3-star accommodations or less, the added value is the variable most related to prices. The cubic, quadratic and logarithmic functions get the best adjustments. The results obtained are of great interest to the management of the accommodation as customer ratings are linked to price levels in a competitive environment. This methodology facilitates the definition of the strategy and tactics of prices on the basis of real and updated market data, indicating in the conclusions the direct implication in the future development of learning machines and artificial intelligence applied to tourism.

Online reputation is a strategic aspect of lodgings’ image and commercialization. Websites containing tourism reviews have increased their influence on customers’ decisions, leading to the effective management of Internet social media accounts. Customer evaluations of lodgings vary across websites because of differences in the scales used, the variables measured, and the reliability of opinions. The diverse information available on the Internet can produce communication problems in lodgings because the evaluations on online portals can differ. The objective of this paper is to propose an indicator to establish the rating of the online reputation balance, so that lodgings can determine the level of coherence of their communication and image on the Internet. One target for lodging community managers should be to converge different evaluations around a similar value that defines a coherent and real online reputation. The indicator proposed is tested on lodgings of distinct categories in different tourism destinations. Among the aims of the study is to try to provide a simple and practical method for directors to improve the management of hotel communication on the Internet. This is an issue for which research should propose methodologies because it is a new challenge for the competitiveness of accommodations.

Currently, lodgings' competitiveness depends on pricing, based on the online reputation measured by quantitative scales of variables. The purpose of this article is to analyze the different prices set by lodgings by season in relation to the variables that measure their online reputation. This is an essential aspect in determining prices competitively in a constantly changing market. The study analyzes the offer of three tourist destinations (Gran Canaria and Tenerife in Spain and Agadir in Morocco) and online customer reviews on the quality of service, value, and added value obtained from Booking.com. Bivariate regressions with different functions were carried out to determine which one best matches these variables to the prices. The results show that added value has the greater relationship with prices. The cubic and quadratic functions have the best fit between quality of service and added value with regard to lodging prices. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to determine the most competitive prices lodgings can set depending on the quality of service and the added value offered to customers. To the extent that destinations from different countries are analyzed, the research reaches an international scope that is in line with the competitive reality of the tourism market.