Defining High-Quality Answers on a Chinese Tourism Q&A Platform in Terms of Information Needs

Abstract

Travel Question and Answer (Q&A) platforms are widely used by travelers to exchange information online. This paper examined one such platform, Ctrip Q&A, to better understand the features of high-quality answers. The questions were first categorized into four types of information required by tourists (knowledge, efficiency, risk, and hedonic types) and then subdivided into more concrete elements, such as accommodation, food, and climate. The characteristics of high-quality answers on the platform were identified and a regression analysis was conducted to determine their importance. The study found that negative emotional expressions negatively impacted the quality of answers while the usefulness, richness, and amount of information had a positive effect. The usefulness of the answer content and quantity of information consistently predicted high-quality answers, whereas richness and conciseness were inconsistently related. Finally, the characteristics of high-quality answers to questions about different elements of tourism in the same category of tourist information varied significantly. This study may help travelers select and provide high-quality answers on tourism Q&A platforms. It may also assist platform operators in optimizing the features of their platforms, thereby improving user satisfaction and overall quality.