Location as a determinant of accommodation prices: managerial approach

In the presentation authors discuss the location-based factors’ impact on accommodation prices. The aim of the presentation is to compare the results of qualitative and quantitative research on location-based determinants of accommodation prices in Lodz Metropolitan Area (Poland). The authors employ methodological triangulation (Yeung 2000), both to explore statistical significance of location-based determinants of accommodation prices, and to present managerial opinions about the influence of location on accommodation prices.The research was financially supported by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education (Subsidy for young scientists No 545/392 and 545/915). The authors are grateful to the students of tourism and recreation program at University of Lodz, supporting data collection procedure and conducting in-depth interviews

The Function of Hotels in Revitalizing Rural Areas: Case Studies in Pomerania Province

This article indicates optimal local, social, economic and geographical relationships contributing to the effective implementation of hotel investment as a part of rural area revitalisation. This will be undertaken through the case studies of four hotels functioning in revitalized historical buildings in the rural areas of Pomerania Province. A ‘multiple case study’ will be performed based on the following methods: 1) the desk study of the data concerning the activity of the hotels; 2) a micro- and meso-scale cartographic inventory; 3) structured individual in-depth interviews with hotel owners and managers, as well as with the authorities and officials responsible for the promotion of the communes where the hotels are situated

Distance from the city centre as a determinant of hotel room rates

In the recent studies, the impact of hotels’ distance from city centre on room rates has been widely discussed. The aim of this paper was to depict findings from the 2009 and 2013 research conducted by the authors in the four Polish cities: Cracow, Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw. Hotel industry in mentioned metropolises is most developed in Poland: most of hotels are located in these cities, and the number of the hotel rooms offered in these metropolises is most significant. The authors discuss the influence of hotels’ distance from city centre on room rates. The authors consider hotel rooms offered in Cracow, Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw, sold in the summer and autumn 2009 and 2013, on particular days: working days and weekends. The authors’ findings are compared with results of studies carried out by other researchers for few European and Asian cities. Because of multinational aspect of cities’ competitiveness, mentioned comparison seems to be crucial. Therefore, understanding the spatial specific of the hotel room rates offered in Cracow, Poznan, Warsaw and Wroclaw might be useful for building global competitiveness of mentioned cities

Information resources of rural communes in the Łódzkie Province on spatial and financial policies

The aim of the paper is to present findings from the research on accessibility of information resources of rural communes in the Łódzkie Province. The studies were conducted in the first half of 2015. Two categories of information resources were considered: 1) connected with operational documents on financial policy of communes, and 2) related to strategic documents on municipal spatial policy. Empirical data was collected by implementing modified Website Attribute Evaluation System (WAES) method, originally used to analyse accessibility and transparency of websites. In this manner the accessibility and transparency of information resources of investigated communes were characterised. Moreover, methods of statistical analysis were employed, thus illustrating. the accuracy of providing information resources for the public by investigated rural communes. As the result of the research, the authors confirmed the hypothesis that dissemination of information resources is positively influenced by the requirement to ensure transparency of municipal projects co-financed by the European Union.Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie wyników badań dostępności zasobów informacyjnych gmin wiejskich województwa łódzkiego. Badania prowadzone były w pierwszej połowie 2015 r. i odnosiły się do dwóch rodzajów zasobów informacyjnych: 1) związanych z operacyjnymi dokumentami określającymi politykę finansową gmin, oraz 2) związanych z dokumentami o charakterze strategicznym, wyznaczającymi politykę przestrzenną. Dane empiryczne zgromadzono w oparciu o dostosowaną metodę WAES (Website Attribute Evaluation System), która wykorzystywana jest w analizach dostępności i przejrzystości portali internetowych. Metoda pozwoliła na określenie dostępności zasobów informacyjnych w analizowanych jednostkach samorządu. Następnie, dzięki wykorzystaniu metod analizy statystycznej, wskazano prawidłowości w udostępnianiu zasobów informacyjnych przez badane gminy wiejskie. Autorzy potwierdzili hipotezę, że jakość dostępu do zasobów informacyjnych gmin jest rezultatem konieczności zapewnienia transparentności działań samorządu finansowanych ze środków pomocowych Unii Europejskiej

What Kind of Online Ratings is Most Significant for Hoteliers? Case of Central Poland

The aim of this enquiry is to asses significance of impact of different sources of online reviews on hotel room rates. This is the very first research comparing various types of online reviews’ sources as determinant of hotel prices. This research was conducted for all 193 star-ranked hotels operating in July 2017, in central Poland. However, analysis covered only those of establishments which were using all considered online reviews’ sources (118 star-ranked hotels). To describe the impact of online reviews on hotel prices various models were estimated: for separate category of hotels (economy, midscale, and luxury) and for different date of check-in (working days versus weekends, and summer versus autumn) each

Spatial variety as a determinant of competitive advantage in a hotel industry

Przestrzenna koncentracja różnorodnych przedsiębiorstw hotelowych jest istotnym czynnikiem budowania przewagi konkurencyjnej. Ustalono, że wraz ze zmniejszeniem odległości między hotelem a najbliższymi obiektami o różnym standardzie, możliwym jest stosowanie relatywnie wyższych cen. Korzystna jest zatem lokalizacja w obszarach koncentracji hoteli, przy czym preferowany jest brak obecności w bliskim sąsiedztwie obiektów świadczących usługi o tym samym standardzie.Spatial clusters of different hotel enterprises is considered as substantial determinant of competitive advantage. This paper confirms that the as the distance between the hotel and nearest competing enterprises representing different standard decreases, the revenue managers are becoming more allowed to increase the room rates. Thus, spatial concentration of different hotel enterprises might be profitable. However, lack of services of similar standard in investigated hotel clusters is preferred

Towards More and Better: Geographical Factors of Hotel Online Ratings

Aim: The aim of this enquiry is to determine the impact of various geographical factors on the rating and popularity of hotels in selected social media The criteria for the selection of mentioned social media were their popularity and the ability to rate the hotel by the guests. The analysed social media channels include: Booking.com, Facebook, GoogleMaps, TripAdvisor, and Trivago. Methods: This research was conducted for all 193 star-ranked hotels operating in July 2017, in Central Poland. However, analysis covered only those of establishments which were using all considered online reviews’ sources (118 star-ranked hotels). To achieve the research goal, 15 semilogarithmic models were estimated to explain the variability of: 1) the number of hotel reviews in social media, 2) average hotel ratings in social media, and 3) the multiply effect of investigated number and average value of hotel ratings in social media; separately for each type of analysed social media. Following geographical explanatory variables were considered: 1) type of location (urban or rural), 2) distance from closest transport nodes (road, rail and air), 3) distance to the nearest tourist attractions, 4) distance from the nearest administrative centre, 5) distance from nearest competing hotels. The hotel star rank was a control variable included in the study. Results: Proximity to the transportations hubs and to the competitors were found as the most significant geographical factors influencing number of online rates posted in social media channels of hotel services offered in Central Poland. Receiving substantial number of positive reviews is easier when operating as a hotel with better access to transport network, and benefitted by agglomerative effects. Practical implication: Social media management is currently one of the key areas of marketing communication run by hotel enterprises. This article should make those who are responsible for managing social media in business practice, more focus on the geographical context