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In search of elite travel: visual communication of luxury hotels

Noela Michael (Dubai Business School, University of Dubai, and previously at the Curtin University Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
Francesc Fusté-Forné (Department of Business, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain)

Consumer Behavior in Tourism and Hospitality

ISSN: 2752-6666

Article publication date: 27 November 2023

Issue publication date: 15 February 2024

209

Abstract

Purpose

The relationships between luxury and tourism are manifested in meaningful customer experiences which are focused on exclusive products and services. This paper aims to examine the visual communication of hotels in the Middle East to identify what luxury features are represented.

Design/methodology/approach

The digital communication of four luxury hotels in the United Arab Emirates was analysed based on a visual content and semiotic analysis of their Instagram’s posts (N = 1,866).

Findings

Results show that customers and views of the hotel and from the hotel are the most representative features of the social media communication of luxury hotels.

Originality/value

Theoretical and practical implications derived from the results are described, and opportunities for further research are identified in relation to digital marketing communication and the effect on consumers in hospitality and tourism.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Since submission of this article, the following author has updated their affiliation: Noela Michael is now at Dubai Business School, University of Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Citation

Michael, N. and Fusté-Forné, F. (2024), "In search of elite travel: visual communication of luxury hotels", Consumer Behavior in Tourism and Hospitality, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 131-139. https://doi.org/10.1108/CBTH-02-2023-0015

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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