Fares Kheddache’s scientific contributions

This study aims to evaluate the performance of Algerian hotels using competitive benchmarking and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, considering various service quality criteria based on the SERVQUAL model. The research explores the most crucial hotel selection factors from the perspective of Algerian customers and identifies potential service quality improvement areas for hotel managers. The study employs the AHP method to prioritize and rank hotel selection criteria based on hotel managers’ preferences. A competitive benchmarking analysis was conducted by comparing the performance of Algerian four-star and five-star hotels against a global benchmark five-star hotel. The analysis considered 20 sub-criteria categorized under the five SERVQUAL dimensions: Tangibility, Reliability, Assurance, Empathy, and Responsiveness. The results reveal that Algerian customers prioritize factors such as employee behavior, hotel security, flexible check-in/check-out times, and first aid services. Surprisingly, price is considered a less important criterion compared to findings from previous studies. The competitive benchmarking analysis identifies performance gaps between hotels, with the five-star Marriott Constantine Hotel emerging as the service leader. Practical implications and strategic recommendations for hotel managers are provided to address identified service quality gaps. This study contributes to the hospitality literature by applying competitive benchmarking and the AHP method to evaluate hotel service quality in the Algerian context. The research provides valuable insights into Algerian customers’ preferences and offers practical recommendations for hotel managers to enhance service quality and competitiveness.

This study proposes an AHP-SERVQUAL model to evaluate service quality in the Algerian hotel industry, emphasizing the gap between customer expectations and managerial perceptions. The research involved four hotels in Constantine, Algeria, and analysed responses from 12 managers and 77 customers. Utilizing the SERVQUAL dimensions—tangibility, reliability, assurance, empathy, and responsiveness—this study examines 19 selection criteria, weighted through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings reveal significant discrepancies: managers overestimate tangibility and reliability, while underestimating empathy, responsiveness, and assurance. In contrast to the managerial focus on tangibility, the responsiveness dimension is valued most by customers. This misalignment highlights the need for managerial strategies that align better with customer priorities to enhance service quality and competitiveness. This study contributes to the literature by integrating AHP with SERVQUAL, thereby offering insights into improving service delivery and customer satisfaction in the hospitality sector. Future research should explore broader geographic contexts and additional service dimensions to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the aesthetic quality of Algerian hotel websites and their ability to create a positive first impression, which is crucial for user engagement. The research focuses on identifying design strengths and weaknesses to propose actionable improvements for enhancing user experience. Theoretical Framework: The study integrates Eye Tracking (ET) technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyze visual engagement and design aesthetics. Marriott Bonvoy®'s website serves as a benchmark, providing a standard for effective aesthetic design. Method: A content analysis was conducted on four Algerian hotel websites based in Constantine, utilizing ET-generated heatmaps and AI-derived visual indices, such as clarity scores, to evaluate design performance. Results and Discussion: The analysis revealed that Marriott Bonvoy® demonstrated superior aesthetic design, followed by the local three-star El Bey Hotel, which outperformed other local websites in design quality. Despite its relative success, El Bey and the other hotels exhibited areas requiring improvement, highlighting gaps in visual hierarchy, layout coherence, and clarity. Research Implications: The findings emphasize the need for Algerian hotel managers to prioritize design aesthetics as a key component of their digital strategy. Implementing the suggested improvements could enhance user experience and competitiveness in the hospitality sector. Originality/Value: This study uniquely combines ET and AI to evaluate website design in the Algerian hospitality context, providing actionable insights for improving digital engagement. It contributes to the growing body of research on user-centered web design in emerging markets.

The present study assess Algerian hotels website design, thru its technical and aesthetic elements defined as: Content, Structure, Interaction and Representation. Thru the analysis of combined scores and ratios obtained from a content analysis and loading time user's experiment for four Algerian hotels websites located in the city of Constantine, we choose Marriott Bonvoy® website for the Marriott Constantine hotel as a benchmark for aesthetic elements, as well for the rest of technical elements. The study concludes that Marriott is the best hotel followed by a three-star hotel named El Bey Hotel, which is considered as the best designed hotel for all the elements even some serious structure element problem due to the long loading time for both Mobile Internet and Wi-Fi Internet in the first user's experience, with 39,2 and 25,15 seconds beyond the recommended 5.3 seconds. Moreover, the study suggest some managerial implications improvements to the managerial staff of these hotels.