The websites of Japanese ryokan and eWOM: their impacts on guests’ expectation and experience

Abstract

The research aims to investigate the impacts of the websites of ryokan and e-WordOf-Mouth (eWOM) available at the websites of Japanese e-travel agents on the guests' expectation for and experience at ryokan. The research stems from interpretivism and mainly adopts an inductive approach. Netnography is selected as a research strategy. The top three ryokan in terms of sales ranking are chosen. eWOM about these three are analysed, focusing on the impacts of websites and eWOM in developing the guests' expectation for and experience at ryokan, the appealing point(s) of ryokan for the guests, and the gaps between their expectation for and experience at ryokan. eWOM on the e-travel agents‟ websites are more influential for the guests than the websites of ryokan in their buying-decision-making process and growing their expectation for ryokan. Of various appealing points of ryokan, the overall experience followed by the meals is the main interest of the guests. The room followed by the meals is the appealing point of ryokan that the guests' experience is most unlikely to meet their expectation. A section for eWOM on the website of ryokan is not examined as most ryokan do not have it on their websites. Considering the significance of eWOM confirmed in the research, ryokan should have a eWOM section on their website and it should also be examined in the future research. This research is valuable as ryokan have not been examined well in previous studies, especially those in English