Examining consumers’ luxury hotel stay repurchase intentions-incorporating a luxury hotel brand attachment variable into a luxury consumption value model

Abstract

PurposeLuxury consumption research has focused more on the consumers of goods than services, despite the trend that consumers are more interested in luxury services, such as luxury hospitality services, than ever before. Additionally, the results regarding the factors that can influence consumers’ luxury service product purchase intentions can be further tested. The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that contribute to consumers’ luxury hotel stay repurchase intentions, to further develop the luxury hospitality service consumption literature and to identify implications for practitioners to consider.Design/methodology/approachTo contribute to the luxury consumption literature, this research incorporates a “luxury hotel brand attachment” variable into a luxury consumption value model to examine consumers’ intentions to repurchase luxury hotel stays when traveling for tourism purposes. The authors draw on a survey of over 450 luxury hotel consumers.FindingsThe findings confirm that luxury hotels’ perceived functional value, hedonic value and symbolic/expressive value affect consumers’ emotions, which in turn affects their luxury hotel attachment and repurchase intentions. In addition, luxury hotel attachment moderates the influence of emotion on repurchase intention.Design/methodology/approachLuxury hotels need to review their customers’ emotions during their stay and their attachment with the hotel. These factors can influence customers’ repurchase intentions. To stimulate customers’ emotions, luxury hotels need to offer functional value (e.g. attentive service staff), hedonic/expressive value (e.g. position as a form of self-indulgence) and symbolic value (e.g. conspicuous lobby). However, managers should know that having superior perceived functional value does not influence customers’ repurchase intentions directly. These characteristics may be commonly shared by most luxury hotels. Furthermore, they do not need to be too worried about providing financial value (e.g. value-for-money).Originality/valueThis study conceptualizes tourists’ luxury hotel stay intentions by examining the influence of perceived luxury value (i.e. functional value, financial value, hedonic value and symbolic/expressive value), tourists’ emotions and luxury hotel brand attachment. In addition, this research explores how luxury hotel brand attachment can moderate the relationship between consumers’ emotions and their repurchase intentions. Several implications of the study are identified, and avenues for future research are suggested.