Modelling the significance of website quality and online reviews to predict the intention and usage of online hotel booking platforms

Innovative technologies are paving the way for the online purchase of products and services. The COVID-19 also harness online shopping and hotel booking in the post-COVID-19 era. Online hotel booking is becoming the norm among young consumers. The six determinants of the intention to use online hotel booking platforms (OHBPs) are information quality, integrity, perceived risks, perceived benefits, system quality, and service quality was utilized in the study. Cross-sectional data were collected through the online survey, and 884 valid responses were utilised for the data analysis. The analysis results showed that the perceived benefits, system quality, and service quality significantly predicted the intention to use the OHBPs. Meanwhile, the usefulness and quantity of online reviews and the intention to use OHBPs have a positive and significant effect on the usage of the OHBPs. The study results confirmed the insignificant moderating role of the usefulness and quantity of online hotel booking reviews in the relationship between the intention to use and the usage of OHBPs. The intention to use OHBPs had low predictive power, while the usage of OHBPs had high predictive power. This study’s findings have offered valuable theoretical and managerial contributions. The management of OHBPs needs to concentrate on information quality and integrity to help manage the associated risks of online hotel booking. Previous customers' reviews are vital to encourage the usage of OHBPs. Finally, social media usage and promoting the OHBPs by sharing satisfied users' experiences improve the intention and usage of the OHBPs.