Global Expectations, Local Realities: All-Inclusive Hotel Reviews and Responses on TripAdvisor

What is it about?

This article examines the intercultural experiences of travelers as mediated by online reviews and hotel responses on TripAdvisor. Focusing on all-inclusive hotel reviews in the Caribbean and Mexico, the study reveals a tension between global expectations and local realities. Travelers often expect a consistent, high-quality experience regardless of location, while hotels strive to maintain global standards while adapting to local conditions. The authors use a dataset of 96 reviews and 87 hotel responses to analyze how these expectations are expressed and challenged, particularly regarding issues like food quality, staff interaction, and the creation of "intercultural space". The study underscores the complexities of intercultural communication in the digital age, highlighting the need for a broader, more flexible understanding of interculturality that considers metapragmatic dimensions, local realities, and the homogenization of services in a globalized world.

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Why is it important?

By acknowledging the intercultural space and adapting to local realities, the tourism industry can foster more authentic, positive, and meaningful experiences for both tourists and locals.