The impact of LGBT friendliness on sexual minority customers’ perceptions and intentions to stay

Abstract

Despite the suggested efficacy of LGBT friendly practices and engagement in building customer loyalty, little attention has been paid to LGBT friendliness within the hospitality service marketing research. This research examines the impact of a hotel company’s LGBT friendliness on sexual minority customers’ perceptions of the hotel and their future intentions to stay in a service encounter context. When a hotel is perceived as being LGBT friendly by sexual minority customers, the overall perception of the hotel and future stay intentions are increased; however, sexual minority customers do not necessarily take negative/positive attitudes and behaviors of service employees into consideration in interpreting a hotel company's LGBT friendliness