ABSTRACT

This study investigated Customer Perceived Risk and Online Booking of Accommodation Services in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. The research examined four key dimensions of perceived risk financial, performance/functional, time, and physical risks to determine their influence on customers’ decisions to book accommodation services online. The study adopted a survey research design, with a sample of 321 respondents drawn from accommodation service users in Ikwuano L.G.A. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and percentages) and multiple regression analysis with the aid of SPSS software. The findings revealed that financial risk (grand mean = 3.05) and time risk (grand mean = 3.06) were perceived as notable concerns by customers; however, regression results showed they were not statistically significant determinants of booking decisions (p > 0.05). In contrast, performance/functional risk (grand mean = 3.22; B = 0.504, p < 0.000) and physical risk (grand mean = 3.06; B = –0.219, p = 0.026) significantly influenced customers’ willingness to adopt online booking platforms. The findings suggest that customers are most concerned about whether accommodation services will perform as promised and whether they will be physically safe. The study concludes that addressing performance reliability and safety transparency is crucial for encouraging wider adoption of online booking systems in the study area. It recommends that booking platforms and accommodation providers enhance service consistency, improve safety assurances, strengthen payment security, and simplify booking processes.