Guest Experience Research Articles

Feasting on Profit: Exploring the Interplay of Culinary Trends and Hotel Restaurant Revenue

This study examines how food and beverage trends affect hotel restaurant revenue. By analyzing existing literature and diverse data sources, including guest reviews, revenue records, and industry reports, we uncover how culinary innovations like unique cuisines, dietary preferences, sustainable ingredients, and creative presentation styles influence financial performance. We consider economic aspects, assess guest satisfaction's significance, and conduct competitive analyses to suggest practical recommendations for hotel management, encompassing menu optimization and inventive marketing strategies. We also discuss potential future trends, offering insights to help hotels stay ahead in the ever-changing culinary landscape, ultimately enhancing guest experiences and restaurant revenue.

Evaluating Self-Service Kiosks in Hotel Check-in Processes

This study delves into the impact of integrating self-service kiosks into hotel check-in procedures to enhance guest satisfaction and operational efficiency. Through a blend of quantitative data analysis and qualitative insights from both guests and hotel staff, the research reveals compelling trends. 85% of participants exhibit a strong preference for self-service kiosks, emphasizing their convenience and time-saving benefits. The autonomy granted by these kiosks resonates with 74% of respondents, reflecting a desire for personalized experiences. Qualitative analysis unveils the ease of use and empowerment guests derive from self-service kiosks. Challenges encountered by guests and staff highlight the need for technical support and bridging the gap between technology and human interaction. A comparative exploration showcases the benefits of self-service kiosks in speeding up processes while acknowledging the enduring value of interpersonal interactions. The study's implications advocate for user-friendly interfaces and a hybrid approach to sustain a harmonious blend of technology and guest-centric engagement, ultimately elevating guest experiences within the dynamic landscape of hospitality.

Hospitality Marketing and Branding for Hotels and Restaurants: Strategies for Success

This study delves into the intricate realm of hospitality marketing and branding, unveiling a tapestry of strategies that blend creativity, technology, and guest-centered approaches. Through a mixed-methods approach involving qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys, this research uncovers the power of crafting compelling brand narratives, integrating digital platforms seamlessly, curating immersive guest experiences, and embracing sustainable and ethical branding. The findings underscore the symbiotic relationship between marketing ingenuity and brand essence, offering insights for practitioners, marketers, scholars, and stakeholders. As the hospitality landscape evolves, these strategies serve as a compass, guiding the harmonious fusion of creativity, technology, and authentic guest engagement—an art form that embodies the heart and soul of successful hospitality endeavors

Unveiling the Nexus: Employee Training's Influence on Elevated Service Quality in Luxury Resorts

This research delves into the intricate relationship between employee training and the quality of service within the unique context of luxury resorts. Given the paramount importance of delivering exceptional service, especially within the upscale hospitality sector, our study aims to uncover the direct and indirect impacts of thorough employee training on the overall service quality provided to resort guests. Through a systematic analysis of training programs, guest satisfaction metrics, and the connection between well-prepared staff and improved service delivery, we offer valuable insights for luxury resort managers seeking to optimize the guest experience. Our findings illuminate the substantial role that effective training initiatives play in enhancing service quality. These insights have practical implications, guiding luxury resorts in customizing their training approaches to further enhance their reputation and competitive edge in the competitive luxury hospitality landscape. This research contributes significantly to the expanding knowledge base in hospitality management and underscores the critical importance of continuous investment in employee development to ensure a sustained commitment to exceptional service.

Effects of the guest experience, well-being, and eWOM intention for resort hotels: A positive psychology perspective

Guests' experience in an experiencescape (e.g., resort hotel) is a critical pathway for them to cultivate hedonic and eudaimonic well-being from the perspective of positive psychology. Nonetheless, the mechanism between guests' experience, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, altruism and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention remains unexplored. This study utilized the stimuli–organism–response (SOR) model to advance the understanding of the psychological mechanism underlying guests' experience, well-being and eWOM intention by further integrating altruism as a moderator. In total, 445 questionnaires from China were analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results illustrated significant mediating effects of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being between guests' experience and eWOM intention. Unexpectedly, altruism had no moderating effect on eWOM intention. Theoretically, this paper extends the SOR model's application to experiencescapes by describing novel stimuli and organisms, and to enrich the understanding of well-being in tourism and hospitality. Practically, this paper provides guidelines for resort hotel marketers and operators to identify the mechanism of guests' voluntary eWOM behavior and to devise strategies for encouraging more active eWOM.

THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) ON GUEST SATISFACTION IN HOTEL MANAGEMENT: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF LUXURY HOTELS

This study examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) (Personalized Guest Experience, Chatbots and Virtual Assistants, Revenue Management, Operational Efficiency, Fraud Detection and Security, Predictive Maintenance) on guest satisfaction in luxury hotels from perspective of managers. A quantitative methodology was employed through adopting questionnaire that was self-administered by (89) managers within luxury five stars hotels in Amman – Jordan. SPSS was used to tackle the primary data, results of study was able to accepted study hypotheses arguing that artificial intelligence has the ability to increase guest satisfaction in luxury hotels. Results indicated that AI in hospitality industry has the ability to revolutionize the concept of guest satisfaction through easing the process of services and increase their loyalty as well. Study indicated that the highest agreement was for chatbots and virtual assistants in influence. However, it argued that while AI has the potential to significantly enhance guest satisfaction in luxury hotels, it is essential to balance the use of AI with human interaction. Many guests still value the personal touch and human connection that comes with traditional hospitality. Therefore, it is important for hotels to ensure that AI is used to enhance, rather than replace, human interaction with guests. Study recommended that hotels should be focused on providing personalized experiences, streamlining operations, and enhancing convenience and comfort in order to increase guest satisfaction. Further recommendations were presented in the study. Significance of study lies in the fact that examining the impact of AI in increasing guest satisfaction in luxury hotel play a role in increasing competitive advantage, help luxury hotels save costs by automating tasks and reducing the need for human labor and stay ahead of the curve and embrace new technologies such as AI. Originality of study is in the fact that it help in developing new theories and frameworks for understanding the complex relationship between technology and guest satisfaction in the hospitality industry.

Emerging Market Entry: Innovative Marketing Approaches for Tirtagangga Hot Spring Resort Targeting Gen Z and Millennials

Indonesia, a populous country, exhibits a significant population size. As per data from the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia via the Dukcapil Directorate General, the largest generation in Indonesia comprises Gen Z and Millennials. These two generations display various behavioral differences compared to preceding generations, particularly in their travel habits. In order to attain the national tourism target, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf) has designated Gen Z and Millennials as the primary target demographic. Tirtagangga Hot Spring Resort, currently undergoing rebranding efforts, aims to penetrate the Gen Z and Millennial market. Initial research suggests that Tirtagangga Hot Spring Resort faces challenges in attracting hotel guests from this new market. This study employs a quantitative approach, utilizing a questionnaire for customer analysis, and employs SMARTPLS for data processing and hypothesis testing. The research entails conducting interviews with 12 individuals, including business owners and their marketing department. The outcomes reveal a positive impact of Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness and Brand Image, while Brand Awareness and Brand Image, in turn, positively influence Purchase Intention. Based on these findings, the authors propose several strategies to augment sales, leveraging the SWOT and TOWS tools encompassing both external and internal analyses. The recommended strategy revolves around diversifying promotional strategies that specifically target the hotel’s updated style and activities, aiming to captivate attention and generate interest. A key focus is placed on highlighting the hotel’s unique blend of modern aesthetics and hygienic surroundings. The promotional efforts should emphasize the newly adopted style of the hotel while concurrently advancing its renovation endeavors. This approach effectively showcases the hotel’s fresh aesthetic while preserving its renowned heritage. Additionally, the hotel should enhance its offerings by introducing supplementary activities and amenities, enriching the overall guest experience.

The biophilic hotel lobby: Consumer emotions, peace of mind, willingness to pay, and health-consciousness

Drawing from the pleasure-arousal theory (PAT) and the effects of biophilic design, the purpose of this study was to understand how the emotional experience of hotel guests influenced their willingness to pay (WTP) and peace of mind (POM). In addition, this study examined the role of health consciousness in hotel guests’ emotional experience in the presence of biophilic design in hotel lobbies. Data from a sample of American consumers, was collected via Amazon Mechanical Turk’s Master List. An independent measure experimental design with online picture-based scenarios was operationalized with independent samples t-tests and linear regressions as data analysis methods. Results showed that the biophilic hotel lobby elicited a significantly higher level of pleasure and a significantly lower level of arousal than the non-biophilic hotel lobby. Furthermore, pleasure significantly and positively influenced arousal. Pleasure and arousal were found to partially mediate the relation between biophilic design and WTP and between biophilic design and POM. Furthermore, POM significantly and positively affected WTP. Lastly, health-consciousness significantly strengthened the relationship between biophilic design and POM, but not between biophilic design and WTP.

THE FACTORS INFLUENCING OVERALL GUEST EXPERIENCE IN HOTELS IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

The subject of this research is guest experience in hotels. We started this research with the initial hypothesis that individual aspects of hotel products and services influence overall guest experience. The aim was to show which aspects of hotel products and services have the strongest impact on guest satisfaction. Another aim was to find out whether there is a difference between the periods before and during the Covid-19 pandemic where factors influencing guest satisfaction are concerned. Guest satisfaction is one of the main goals of a hotel and its business philosophy. Numerous papers investigating the attributes determining guest satisfaction are referred to in the literature review. Data for this research was collected by analysing the 590 surveys sent to guests following their stay in hotels during 2019 and 2021. Via these surveys, guests rated their overall experience during their stay, as well as different individual categories related to the stay. According to the results of the study, guestroom experience has the most significant impact on overall guest experience. Therefore, hotel management should pay attention to room attributes that could be a competitive advantage in differentiation strategy. Cleanliness should be considered one of the most important room attributes, as it now has a stronger impact on overall guest satisfaction than was the case before the outbreak of Covid-19.

Insights in a city through the eyes of Airbnb reviews: Sensing urban characteristics from homestay guest experiences

There is a growing interest in deriving insights about cities from crowdsourced data. We advance the discourse by employing homestay guest experience to sense urban characteristics. We evaluate the relationship between subjective perceptions and objective indicators thanks to rich information in textual reviews that we posit reflect urban qualities. Next, we investigate dominant topics about urban characteristics in Airbnb reviews (transportation, greenery, amenities, safety, and noise) with natural language processing techniques, i.e. a rule-based dependency parsing method designed to extract relevant information. Then, we establish the associations between sentiments and proxies representing the physical patterns of urban areas. The multi-scale results of the experiments in three cities (London, Singapore, and NYC) suggest that reviews on homestay platforms reflect transportation convenience, amenities, sense of safety, and noise pollution. The correlation is stronger at a higher administrative division level, while the perception of people on safety is more sensitive at a more granular scale. Densities of transportation and amenities in nearby districts are more likely to be perceived similarly. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of perceptions is possibly affected by the morphology and development of a city, and the diversity of guests. This study reveals new possibilities for sensing urban characteristics through user-generated information and introduces a new application of accommodation reviews, which may help alleviate gaps in availability of data required for planning.

Pendidikan dan Pelatihan Menghubungkan Teori dan Praktik Mahasiswa sebagai Guest Experiment Business Luxury Hotel di Jakarta

The main purpose of a Business Luxury Hotel is to provide a comfortable and safe place to stay for guests who are travelling on business or leisure. Business travellers, executives and professionals often require exclusive, luxurious accommodation equipped with high-quality facilities and services for business meetings, conferences and corporate events. This activity uses a qualitative method of descriptive analysis. This activity aims to connect the theory and practice of Business Luxury Hotel services. From this activity has the results of Business Luxury Hotel Services in Jakarta need to be improved, especially in guest experience activities and guest activities need to be given extra services in accordance with the standards set by the world hotel business.

Disney Magic through the Disney Guest Experience

This study discusses how Disney delivers a unique and memorable guest experience. Through subjective personal introspection, it examines Disney's approach to co-creating a profound guest experience. The Disney guest experience is profound because it delivers an experience that touches on all six dimensions of an experience: sensorial, emotional, cognitive, pragmatic, lifestyle, and relational.

Why do guests stay at Airbnb versus hotels? An empirical analysis of necessary and sufficient conditions

Our study explores the differences in necessary and sufficient conditions for producing (dis)satisfactory guest experiences between Airbnb and hotels, intending to develop competitive strategies for the hospitality industry. Using advanced Natural Language Processing techniques, we analysed user-generated content from both platforms in the Andalusian market, utilising Contextualised Topic Modelling and Necessary Condition Analysis to identify the main topics and relationships that impact guests' experiences. We also employed XGBoost to assess sufficient conditions for customer satisfaction, providing insights that can enhance the quality of lodging stays and improve marketing strategies. Overall, our findings show that both types of accommodation share similar necessary conditions for (dis)satisfaction, but differ in the order of importance. Proximity to tourist attractions and staff recommendations are important for Airbnb guest satisfaction, while hotel guests prioritise facilities and staff professionalism. Both types of accommodation share similar themes that contribute to guest dissatisfaction, including noise complaints, value for money, and staff professionalism. Airbnb offers unique and personalised experiences, while hotels prioritise efficient and appropriate interactions between staff and guests. Identifying and prioritising factors influencing guest satisfaction and dissatisfaction is essential for remaining competitive in the hospitality sector. To sum up, our research contributes significantly to the literature on hospitality services, with methodological implications for future studies.

Applying means-end to hospitality hosts: a study of winery tasting rooms

PurposeThe paper has a twofold purpose: (1) to test the application of means-end theory to providers of hospitality goods and services, and (2) to explore this question in the context of winery tasting rooms when they had a unique opportunity to restructure their hospitality experience due to government restrictions in response to COVID.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was adopted, and a convenience sample was used to conduct semi-structured laddering interviews. Forty interview transcripts were coded as means-end ladders, which were analyzed using a custom computer program to develop the implication matrix and the hierarchical value map.FindingsThis paper demonstrates that means-end is a useful approach to investigate the values and behaviors of the producer, specifically hospitality hosts. It finds that the principal goal of tasting rooms is to generate sales, and offering a compelling guest experience is the characteristic that contributes the most to achieving that goal. The staff and the atmosphere created for the guests are the two factors with the greatest influence on the guest experience.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to use means-end theory to study the hospitality host, or the producer of goods and services in general, and the first to study winery hospitality primarily through the lens of means-end theory. The study also helps fill a gap in research on tasting room sales focused on the winery’s goals.

Technostress and hotel guests: A mere hurdle or a major friction point?

The implementation of hospitality service technology is rapidly growing. Although there are practical, economic, and experiential benefits of these technologies, the increased adoption of service technologies such as mobile keys, and check-in kiosks can introduce friction points for the hotel guests. Technostress is stress induced by the usage of technology and this study is among the first to apply this notion to consumer behavior. Based on the transactional model of stress and coping, and social cognitive theory, this study examined the effects of technostress on hotel guests by using a mixed-method approach comprised of three sequential phases. A qualitative examination of guest experiences with hotel technology indicated Wi-Fi, hotel apps, and smart TVs to be the most prominent stress-inducing technologies. These technologies were also associated with four technostressors: techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, and techno-uncertainty. Quantitative examination showed significant relationships between technology self-efficacy, one's locus of control, and technostress; additionally, technostress was shown to significantly impact guest satisfaction. The findings of this study extend technostress literature beyond workplace applications and into consumer behavior.

GUEST SATISFACTION APPRAISAL: THE CASE OF A START-UP STATE UNIVERSITY HOTEL

Guest satisfaction in the hospitality industry is the measure of how contented the guests are with the hotel services they experience. This study presents the results of the guest satisfaction survey on the service quality of a start-up start university hotel, Cebu Tech Hotel, in its first two years of operation. The sixty hotel guests who participated in this descriptive survey research study used quantitative data to provide pertinent and accurate information on the customer satisfaction of the school hotel under investigation. Results show that hotel guests are generally quite satisfied as reflected in their very satisfied rating. However, even if the clients were satisfied, there are still other components of the hotel concerning the hotel service that need to be in full operation like the 24-hour food service to give the visitors the complete hotel experience. This leads to the conclusion that transferring the quality of services supplied in facilitating the guests hotel accommodations is essential to a pleasant overall guest experience.

Unperplexing the nexus between physical evidence and guest retention at beach resorts: multiple sequential mediation models

ABSTRACT Although research evidence shows the link between physical evidence and guest retention, we have limited knowledge about why and how this relationship works and is activated. To untangle this association, this paper examines how physical evidence influences three psychological factors (i.e. guest delight, emotional well-being, and overall image), as well as mediating the relationship between indoor and outdoor physical evidence and guest retention. The cognitive appraisal theory and the stimulus-organism-response model were employed in the study model. Data were gathered from 428 guests staying at seven five-star beach resorts in Sharm El-Sheikh. The Smart-PLS findings show that overall resort image, guest delight, and emotional well-being partially and serially mediate between physical evidence and guest retention. The findings offer theoretical and practical contributions to managing the guest experience journey in beach resorts.

Human employees versus robotic employees: Customers and hotel managers’ perceived experience at unmanned smart hotels

Hotel managers and researchers are increasingly interested in artificial intelligence (AI) and robots, which are vital to the future of the hospitality industry. However, adopting robotic services is challenging due to the current state of the art and insufficient understanding of the relationship between customer satisfaction and robotic services. Hotels are building a competitive advantage through high technology permeating various service environments. This study examined customer perceptions and satisfaction with smart hotels during COVID-19 based on online reviews by building a list of smart hotel properties that identifies well-performing and poorly performing service quality. Results highlight the advantages of smart hotels in the tourism environment and provide helpful guidance for hoteliers to apply high technology in the service environment. This study examines and demonstrates that the utility of new technologies in a smart hotel at modern times to deal with the challenges of COVID-19, and assures precision and speed in service delivery to improve sustained competition and guest experience.

Exploring the Effects of Technological Advancements on Hotel Guests and Employees in Metro Manila: A Comparative Study

The guests and employees of a 3-star hotel in Metro Manila share a similar perspective on the technological advancements that are being implemented and made available in their establishments. These technological advances have a positive impact on both guests and employees as they greatly improve their stay in the hotel. Although the survey identified some issues, they were mostly rated as moderate by both guests and staff, which suggests that they can be minimized or resolved. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the impact of technological advances on guests and employees. This highlights the need for the hospitality industry to embrace technological advances in order to provide guests with improved services and employees with the tools they need to work more efficiently. However, it is important to note that this study has some limitations. It only covers guests and employees in a 3-star hotel, which may not be representative of all hotels in the area. Therefore, it is recommended to widen the scope of the study to include hotels with 4 and 5-star ratings to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject. Further studies could also examine how technological advances impact the hotel's bottom line and the overall guest experience.

Determinants and Impacts of Quality Attributes on Guest Perceptions in Norwegian Green Hotels

The study aims to contribute to tourism literature and the Norwegian hospitality industry by integrating and mapping guests’ green hotel experiences. Hence, the study deploys mix-methods to aid in depicting guest preferences and perspectives on Norwegian green hotels. Accordingly, these experiences are represented with 1575 guests’ venue-specific generated contents (UGC) found within designated hotel pages of TripAdvisor. Scholars conducted descriptive analysis on guest ratings, machine-learning integrated content analysis to map harmonious and divergent qualities of venue-specific green hotel experiences, and explored users’ community profiles to enrich and reveal further similarities with guest demographics. Consequentially, the study unveiled key themes and concepts relevant to guests’ satisfaction with nine Norwegian green hotels and attributed qualities. Accordingly, the study revealed ten key themes, namely “hotel”, “room”, “food”, “location”, “staff”, “stay”, “service”, “recommend”, “value”, and “experience”. To exemplify, the majority of guests were found to be satisfied with their attributed qualities. Regarding hotel themes, guests were dissatisfied with green practices, booking, check-in, and other aspects of attribution. To contribute, the study offers valuable insights for practitioners and provides theoretical implications. Green hoteliers of Norway should firmly grasp green practices, as improvements and diversification strategies with green practices must be present for both online and embodiments of their venues. In an ever-evolving world of digital presence, practitioners must sustain relevance with UGC content encompassing guest experiences.