On-line channels for agritourism companies. Key features and perceptions of customers

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the level of perceived relevance and satisfaction of customers on the websites of agritourism companies. After a literature review on the website adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), an empirical research was conducted based on a four-stage model of website adoption. A web-based questionnaire was addressed to a sample of Italian tourists who experienced a stay at an agritourism after selecting the accommodation through the agritourism website. By combining the perceived satisfaction and importance attributed to a series of features related to the website, we identified the main priorities to be considered when a website is being projected and on-line services have to be established. In addition, in order to evaluate which variables have more influence in defining the overall evaluation of a website, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted. This study provides useful indications at the individual firm level about the main features of a website on which investments for improvement may be addressed and which on-line services should be activated.