Interpreting EWOM Evaluations Using AHP and TOPSIS Methods and Determining the Most Suitable Cyprus Hotel

Abstract

WOM, which is effective in consumers' decision-making, has started to be replaced by eWOM today. Due to reasons such as widespread use of the internet, easier and faster access to information, visuality and diversity, eWOM provides an important communication in consumers' preferences. Consumers who have experienced a product or service through eWOM can influence this process by transferring their experiences to other potential consumers in the decision process. eWOM, which has become important for many sectors, has also become very important for the tourism sector. Visitors who experience the various facilities offered by hotels share their experiences with other individuals through various websites and can influence decision processes. This study aims to determine the most suitable hotel among nine five-star hotels in Cyprus with 1000 or more reviews on the Booking.com website. The 8 criteria that make up the visitor evaluation scale on the Booking.com website was weighted by tourism experts using the AHP method. According to the results of this research, in which the obtained criterion weights and visitors’ ratings obtained from the Booking.com website was evaluated using the TOPSIS method, it was concluded that the most suitable hotel was H3 hotel.