Research on luxury hospitality: A systematic review of the literature

Abstract

The increase in the luxury hospitality industry has led to a significant body of new research. Due to some constraints –discussed in detail in this paper–, there is a lack of consensus on the definition and the factors associated with luxury hospitality. This leads to further gaps. To shed some light, this paper presents a systematic review of the literature of 681 articles. Co-occurrence analysis indicates three main topics of research, associated with (1) consumer experience (mainly focused on satisfaction, service quality, and loyalty), (2) sustainability, and (3) recent research on the effects of Covid-19. Regarding the definition, the results show that it varies depending on the perspective taken (e.g., company vs. consumer). Additionally, the theories most frequently used are related to conspicuous consumption and social value. However, recent findings suggest that the hedonic value might be key in some contexts (e.g., seeking escapism), while for some segments (e.g., ultra-high-net-individuals) the functional value might be more important. Finally, the review reveals that new methods need to be applied, such as experimental designs, and research on individual differences (e.g., culture) is still limited. Based on the results, future research recommendations are presented.