Currently, online travel agencies (OTA) disclose their sponsored hotel options in such a way that the sponsorship disclosure may not be recognized as such by consumers. We hypothesise that by...Show moreCurrently, online travel agencies (OTA) disclose their sponsored hotel options in such a way that the sponsorship disclosure may not be recognized as such by consumers. We hypothesise that by increasing the prominence and clarity of symbols indicating sponsorship disclosure recognition may be increased. Further, we hypothesise that sponsorship disclosures may lead to positive responses in consumers. 300 UK-based participants took part in a randomized online experiment. Participants were presented with one of four sponsorship disclosure symbols on a mock-up website, on which they chose a hotel. Further, recognition of sponsorship disclosures, as well as fairness perceptions and purchase intention, were assessed. Results showed that more prominent and clearer symbols led to increased recognition of sponsorship disclosure. Significant decreases in purchase intention and fairness perceptions were found for disclosing sponsorship to participants after choosing a hotel. We suggest that the obtained insights may be used to refine sponsorship disclosure guidelines.Show less
