Using brochure information for the hedonic analysis of holiday packages

Abstract

This paper investigates the production of misleading results from hedonic analysis when heterogeneity in the effects of quality characteristics is ignored. Two causes of such heterogeneity are examined: (a) when quality is registered in different ways in the brochures of different tour operators and (b) when the effects of quality characteristics differ between packages with a different star rating. Furthermore, the authors test the impact of the presence of these two sources of heterogeneity on the estimated effects of quality characteristics on price, along with a third possible source of heterogeneity - the rating system of the hotels. They then discuss the policy implications of their empirical findings.