The role of effective communication and trustworthiness in determining guests’ loyalty

Husni Kharouf, Harjit Sekhon, Syed Muhammad Fazal-e-Hasan, Ellie Hickman, Gary Mortimer

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)
    1749 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    This study investigates the role of trustworthiness and effective communication in the development of guests’ loyalty within the hotel sector. We propose and test a conceptual model that differentiates between two types of loyalty: attitudinal and behavioral. As hotels can control and manage how they communicate their desired characteristics to guests, we posit effective communication and a hotel’s trustworthiness as the key concepts in building loyalty. This study reports on the findings of a study based on 322 hotel guests. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that implementing effective communication methods leads to a trustworthy image, which in turn has a positive impact on attitudinal and behavioral loyalty. This research provides hotel managers with strategic directions for cultivating guest loyalty.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)240-262
    Number of pages23
    JournalJournal of Hospitality Marketing and Management
    Volume28
    Issue number2
    Early online date10 Aug 2018
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 17 Feb 2019

    Bibliographical note

    This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in
    Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management on 10/08/2018, available
    online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/19368623.2018.1505574

    Copyright © and Moral Rights are retained by the author(s) and/ or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This item cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder(s). The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.

    Keywords

    • attitudinal loyalty
    • behavioral loyalty
    • communication
    • guests
    • Hotels
    • trustworthiness

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Management Information Systems
    • Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Management
    • Marketing

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