Consumer Behavior and Trends
The BHR Experience Innovation Edition: November 2023
What does hospitality mean to you? In fact, what does the hospitality industry mean to you? Are your answers based on perceptions grounded in the past? Or are they fueled by what could be. Think of the possibilities when we have the chance to redefine hospitality. In many ways that’s... More
To tip or not to tip? 3 reasons why tipping has gotten so out of control
It has become as much a part of our daily lives as getting our to-go coffee: the screen turn. It's the moment when you've ordered your coffee and the barista turns the payment screen toward you, with prompts asking you for a tip. Tipping is on the rise across the U.S. as... More
[buku] Professor Leora Lanz Discusses Soundbites with buku: Think Differently
"We're in a period of revolution, and it's still evolving." A passionate comment from my guest on the latest episode of the Soundbites podcast, Leora Halpern Lanz, ISHC, from Boston University School of Hospitality Administration. Leora talks with me about hospitality's challenge to innovate amidst an unstable time, and it's... More
[Vox] Professor Sean Jung Shares his Insight: Everyone wants a tip now, Do you have to give them one?
Thanks to touchscreens and the pandemic, tipflation is everywhere — and it’s hard to say no. Jenny Kivett went to see the band War on Drugs at Colorado’s storied Red Rocks Amphitheater last month. The show was great. Buying merch, less so: A vendor prompted her to kick in a 20... More
[BU Today] Professor Leora Lanz and Professor Jonathan Katz Share their Perspective on Why Dunkin’s Revamped Rewards Program Has Angered So Many Customers
SHA faculty on the pitfalls for companies that make changes to their loyalty programs Need a coffee? If you’re a New Englander, there’s a good chance you frequent one of the more than 4,200 Dunkin’s spread across the region. (There are more than 11,0000 worldwide). Those in the know have learned... More
Will Blockchain shift Online Travel Agencies toward growth or to an end? Tourism Economics
By: APOSTOLOS AMPOUNTOLAS, Ph.D. Abstract The hospitality industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally. With the emergence of different distribution platforms, customers can obtain real-time price changes, availability, and promotions. Looking to the future, traditional online travel agencies will have to undergo a utility shift in order to adapt to new... More
Platforms in the peer-to-peer sharing economy
By Makarand Mody Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine peer-to-peer sharing platform business models, their sources of competitive advantage, and the roles, motivations and behaviors of key actors in their ecosystems. This paper uses a conceptual approach that is rooted in the service, tourism and hospitality, and strategy literature.Read... More
Peer-to-peer marketplaces: a study on consumer purchase behavior
By: APOSTOLOS AMPOUNTOLAS, Ph.D. Abstract Purpose The online travel environment continues to expand as the numerous peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces that comprise the “sharing economy” have also multiplied and expanded, resulting in a move from the traditional hospitality industry to a new digital ecosystem. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects... More
Forecasting hotel demand uncertainty using time series Bayesian VAR models
By: APOSTOLOS AMPOUNTOLAS, Ph.D. Abstract Demand uncertainty is a fundamental characteristic of the hospitality industry. Hotel room inventory is fixed, and devising an accurate daily demand measurement is a key operational challenge. In practice, it is difficult to predict the industry stability and capture demand uncertainty, so the industry relies on demand... More
Study Abroad and the Development of College Students’ Travel Venturesomeness
By Makarand Mody Abstract This research examines the impact of short-term study abroad on a travel-specific psychographic manifestation of intercultural competence, Plog's concept of venturesomeness. It also assesses the moderating effect of cultural distance on students' development of venturesomeness. Using a pre-post longitudinal design, research found that the intercultural and personal development... More