COVID-led consumption displacement: A longitudinal analysis of hotel booking patterns.

ABSTRACT

This research contributes to the literature on consumption displacement by exploring the pandemic-led shifts in hotel booking patterns. We perform a longitudinal analysis and a critical comparison of bookings before and after COVID-19 outbreak, focusing on the booking window, length of stay, and booking channel. Data include weekly bookings of a representative sample of Balearic Islands' hotels between 2018 and 2021. Results indicate that the pandemic has led to a drop in the volume of bookings and a remarkable change in booking patterns. Specifically, we find a temporal shift in booking behavior, characterized by a lower anticipation and a change in the tourism supply chain, namely a decrease in the share of intermediated bookings. The expected increase in the frequency of exogenous shocks, such as weather-related and sanitary crises, could affect purchasing behaviors, thus enhancing the relevance of this study, with managerial implications for industry and destination managers.