Customer’s Trust Indicators in the Online Hotel Booking Decision
Pauline Ratnasingam

Abstract
This paper investigates the impact of customer’s trust indicators on their online hotel booking decision. We discuss the key characteristics of three types of trust namely; competence, predictability and goodwill trust and correlate them to the three parts to the customer’s online hotel booking decision process. We argue that trust indicators are likely to change, evolve and impact online booking decisions over time. Then we develop a framework highlighting the trust indicators and a conceptual model discussing the research hypotheses. This study contributes to theory as researchers will be made aware on the importance of trust indicators in the online hotel booking decisions. It contributes to practice by increasing the awareness of hotel executives on the trust indicators that customers look for. Future research aims to test the conceptual model via a survey research method. The findings will contribute to academic and practical knowledge.

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