How the Role of Language and the Country of Origin Affects Online Hotel Ratings? Which One Prevails?

The evolution of digital technologies and online reviews has become very important in the tourism industry, especially in the hospitality sector. Considering that travellers’ purchasing decisions are increasingly being influenced by online review websites, platforms for travellers to share their experiences and express their opinions have become more important. Factors such as the country of origin and the language affects the online rating behaviour of travellers. However, there is limited empirical work directly related to how the country of origin affects rating behaviour, and less well examined too is the role of language in online hotel ratings. As the country of origin and the language play a major role today and particularly in the hospitality sector, it is of paramount importance to investigate how the country of origin and the use of a different language can affect online hotel rankings. For the realization of the empirical study, Hotel Moliceiro was selected, a charming 4-star hotel located in the Centre of Aveiro, Portugal. TripAdvisor was the platform used to collect the comments, between 2015 and 2020. The analysis allows us to conclude that not only there is a smaller number of positive reviews in comments written in English, but also the use of domestic language in comments affects positively online ratings. Understanding the relationships between country of origin and the role of language in online hotel rankings is a key strategic resource for both strategic management and marketing for hotels’ managers, and for tourism destinations management organizations.