호텔의 차별화 전략이 지각된 위험과 예약의도에 미치는 영향: 온라인 여행사의 수평적⋅수직적 차별화를 중심으로

Online travel agency(OTA) has become a major booking platform for hotels, intensifying competition among hotels in OTAs. Although it is important to understand the hotel's differentiation strategy that is to lead customer's positive behavior intention, prior literature did not demonstrate the effects of hotel's differentiation strategy in OTA on customer's behavior intention. Therefore, this study examines the difference in perceived risk by horizontal differentiation(chain brand or not) and vertical differentiation(star rating), and the relationship between horizontal and vertical differentiation, perceived risk, and booking intention. For this purpose, data were collected through experimental design based on the OTA hotel booking scenario on 240 customers who have experience of hotel room booking in OTA within the past year. The results show that, first, customers perceived a high risk to independent hotels than chain hotels. Second, it was found that customers perceived higher risk in 2 star hotels than in 4 star hotels. Third, perceived risk has a mediating effect between horizontal and vertical differentiation and booking intention. These results show that horizontal and vertical differentiation have a significant effect on perceived risk and booking intention. In addition, this study found that customers perceived the risk differently according to the level of horizontal and vertical differentiation. In conclusion, based on the signaling theory, this study suggested a horizontal and vertical differentiation strategy based on the quality of hotel products and services in OTA.