Unraveling your dream stay with a click: the interplay of emotions, aesthetics, interactivity and opportunistic behavior in online hotel reservations

Abstract

Purpose – An interactive website takes a traveler on a joyous adventure where every click sparks delight and every interaction brings happiness. A traveler’s online booking intentions (OBI) depend on various factors, including perceived website interactivity (PWI), perceived ease of use (PEoU), usefulness and aesthetics. Our study explores the factors that influence users’ emotions and intentions when booking hotels online. Design/methodology/approach – We enhanced the applicability of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hotel industry by employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The hotel booking intentions of 520 travelers who used hotel booking websites were evaluated. The study also investigated the direct and indirect associations in the proposed model through mediation and moderation analysis. Findings – Our findings suggest that users’ positive emotions (PE) are enhanced by perceived usefulness (PU), PEoU and PWI, amplifying OBI. PEoU, PU and PE mediate the relationship between the underlying constructs. Furthermore, the link between PE and OBI is reinforced by the hotel website aesthetics (HWA) but weakened by opportunistic behavior (OPB). Research limitations/implications – The study’s outcomes provide several important suggestions for hoteliers, policymakers, Website developers and potential tourists. Originality/value – Previous studies in the hotel industry have overlooked PWI, PE, HWA and OPB, which warrants an in-depth investigation. This study considers these constructs by expanding the scope of the SOR framework and TAM. In addition, it examines the moderating effects of HWA and OPB on the relationship between PE and OBI. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited