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Article http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.04.013

Electronic Word-of-Mouth (E-WOM) for Hotel Ratings in London: A Quantitative Study of Reviews in the London Hotel Industry

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Mahreen Jurial Khan^1,*, Murtaza Hussain Shaikh²

¹University of Sindh, Jamshoro 71000, Pakistan.

²Dong-Eui University, Busan 47340, South Korea.

*Corresponding author: Mahreen Jurial Khan

Published: April 30,2026

Abstract

The electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) is defined as consumer opinions shared online. Customer reviews have become a crucial information source, significantly influencing consumers’ purchase intentions and behavior. The Internet makes these product reviews and comments easily accessible, and research confirms that consumers regard reviews and ratings as vital information sources. Indeed, roughly 93% of consumers report that online reviews affect their purchasing decisions, implying a substantial impact on the success of goods and services. It is crucial for businesses to comprehend the reasons behind these internet interactions because word-of-mouth is sometimes the most reliable source of information for service clients. The results validate a number of aspects along which online reviews have an impact. In order to lessen information overload, consumers frequently rely on heuristic signals (e.g., star ratings in reviews provide concrete, readily processed signs of quality and act as crucial availability heuristics). As social media and review platforms evolve, customers increasingly share their positive and negative experiences on demand via online review sites. Consequently, online reviews have become a crucial information resource for both prospective hotel guests and hotel managers. For instance, travelers frequently consult online reviews when booking hotels, and peer feedback is often perceived as more influential than traditional marketing communications. To shed light on these dynamics, this study analyzed online hotel ratings in London, UK, by using reviews collected from Google Travel, leveraging Google’s position as the world’s largest search engine. We compiled a dataset of hotel reviews and applied text-clustering techniques to identify thematic groups, which we labelled ‘Food & Beverage’, Physical Environment’, ‘Service’, and ‘Brand’ based on the characteristic terms of each cluster. This method allows us to investigate the relationship between hotel rating categories and Google customer reviews.

Keywords

Awareness; Analysis; Customers; Electronic Word-of-Mouth (E-WOM); Reputation; Tourism

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How to cite this paper

Electronic Word-of-Mouth (E-WOM) for Hotel Ratings in London: A Quantitative Study of Reviews in the London Hotel Industry

How to cite this paper: Mahreen Jurial Khan, Murtaza Hussain Shaikh. (2026) Electronic Word-of-Mouth (E-WOM) for Hotel Ratings in London: A Quantitative Study of Reviews in the London Hotel Industry. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 10(4), 472-481.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2026.04.013