What is the name of Spanish hotels? An analysis of the naming of hotels in Benidorm and Alicante

Fernando Olivares-Delgado; Daniel Rodríguez-Valero; Alberto Pinillos-Laffón; María Teresa Benlloch-Osuna

doi:10.51302/marketing.2024.21373

Authors

Fernando Olivares-Delgado Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2483-6801
Daniel Rodríguez-Valero Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9951-5682
Alberto Pinillos-Laffón Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3346-4739
María Teresa Benlloch-Osuna Department of Communication Sciences. Universitat Jaume I (Castellón de la Plana, Spain) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7713-5785

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51302/marketing.2024.21373

Keywords:

corporate name, brand name, tourism and hospitality, destination branding, Benidorm, Costa Blanca

Abstract

The importance of branding in tourism and hospitality has been the subject of study by the scientific community. However, there is little specific work on brand names in this sector. It is necessary to delve deeper into the predominant naming criteria in the names of hotels and other types of tourist accommodations. We have analyzed the hotel company name in a sample of 212 tourist accommodations, mostly SMEs and family businesses. The results indicate that, regarding the chosen naming criteria, there is mainly a difference between the criteria chosen to name hotels and those chosen to name other types of tourist accommodations, with the latter being more descriptive and less suggestive or evocative. The most recurring naming criterion in the sector is “fantasy” or “creative”. This research aims to expand knowledge about the choice of corporate name in the hospitality sector, based on the typology established by the scientific community, so that it can serve as a reference point for future research on naming or branding.

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Author Biographies

Fernando Olivares-Delgado, Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain)

Doctor and professor of communication and corporate branding. He directs the UA_Brandscience research group and participates in several postgraduate courses where he teaches content on reputation and brand management in degrees and postgraduate courses in Spain and Europe and Latam.

Daniel Rodríguez-Valero, Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain)

Professor and doctor in brand design from the University of Barcelona (Spain). He coordinates the postgraduate course in Digital Communication at the University of Alicante and is a professor in the Video Game Design degree at various degrees and postgraduate courses in Spain and Europe and Latam.

Alberto Pinillos-Laffón, Department of Communication and Social Psychology. Universidad de Alicante (Spain)

Doctor and professor of verbal identity and naming at the University of Alicante (Spain). He teaches subjects on brand name in various degrees and postgraduate courses in Spain and Europe and Latam.

María Teresa Benlloch-Osuna, Department of Communication Sciences. Universitat Jaume I (Castellón de la Plana, Spain)

Doctor, an expert in place branding. He coordinates the international relations of the Communication Degree at the University Jaume I (Spain) and investigates issues related to the reputation of the territories and financial communication.

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