Customer loyalty in the hotel industry: the role of customer satisfaction and image

TLDR

Customer loyalty is recognized as a dominant factor for business success and is of considerable interest to hospitality practitioners and academics. The study aims to extend understanding of the relationship among customer loyalty, satisfaction, and image by identifying image and satisfaction factors that positively relate to loyalty in the hotel industry. The research examined image and satisfaction factors in chain hotels in New Zealand to assess their impact on loyalty. Data from New Zealand chain hotels show that hotel image and satisfaction with housekeeping, reception, food and beverage, and price are positively correlated with customer loyalty.

Abstract

Loyalty of a firm’s customer has been recognised as the dominant factor in a business organization’s success. This study helps us extend our understanding of the relationship between customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and image. This is of considerable interest to both practitioners and academics in the field of hospitality management. The objective of this research is to identify the factors of image and customer satisfaction that are positively related to customer loyalty in the hotel industry. Using data collected from chain hotels in New Zealand, the findings indicate that hotel image and customer satisfaction with the performance of housekeeping, reception, food and beverage, and price are positively correlated to customer loyalty.