Value perception of service bundling in the hospitality industry: a comparative analysis on hoteliers and tourists

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the value perception construct related to service bundling, and to highlight the differences between tourists´ and hoteliers' perception. The study is based on the findings of a previous research on hoteliers' attitude to collaborate and network. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach is explorative. A qualitative study, based on 15 in-depth interviews, has been carried out. On the tourist side, we selected 10 tourists who usually visit Valle d'Aosta. Considering hoteliers, we interviewed 5 hotel owners from the most important ski-resorts in the same region (Courmayeur,Cervinia, Pila, Champoluc and Gressoney). Findings: The results point out that hoteliers perceive service bundling itself as to be of high-value. Nevertheless, hoteliers think that service bundling needs too much effort and too many resources to be implemented. On the other side, customers think that service bundling is of high value to them, since it provides higher value for money and reduces their effort in searching and combining different service solutions. Some managerial implications, related to the opportunity to enhance the service bundling practice in the tourism industry, are provided. Originality/value: The study focuses on the different dimensions of value perception related to service bundling practices. Often, literature about value perception considers the customer side only. The two different perspectives, in order to highlight common aspects and differences between hoteliers’ and tourists’ perception of value, are compared. Research limitations/implications: Limitations of this study are related to the nature and the size of the sample. Furthermore, the study focuses on the Valle d'Aosta region only. Practical implications: Service bundling practices could be a powerful way to increase the value delivered to customers and to boost cooperation among operators in a touristic destination with positive impacts on the brand image.