Guest Retention Research Articles

The Influence of Service Quality and Room Rates on Guest Loyalty at UNP Hotel & Convention Center

Purpose: This study aims to elucidate the profound influence of service quality and room rates on hotel guest loyalty within the context of UNP Hotel & Convention Center. Method: Employing an explanatory research design with a quantitative approach, this study examines the interplay between service quality, room rates, and hotel guest loyalty. The study focuses on a population of repeat guests at UNP Hotel & Convention Center. Data was collected from 50 respondents through purposive sampling using a meticulously designed questionnaire. The collected data was subjected to descriptive analysis and path analysis, with the proposed model evaluated using the Smart Partial Least Squares Structural (PLSS) assessment. Results: The findings underscore a compelling and statistically significant correlation between service quality, room rates, and guest loyalty. This highlights a crucial implication for the hotel industry to prioritize and meticulously manage service quality and room pricing in order to foster and amplify guest loyalty. Contribution: This research underscores the pivotal role of service quality and room rates in nurturing guest loyalty at UNP Hotel & Convention Center. The study reaffirms that guest loyalty is intricately tied to the anticipated service quality and pricing. As such, maintaining service quality at par and ensuring competitive room rates could potentially lead to higher guest retention and choice of the hotel. Conversely, a decline in either service quality or competitive pricing may precipitate diminished guest loyalty

Role of Culture in Guest Retention in Hotels: A Case Study on Hotels of Hyderabad, India

Role of Culture in Guest Retention in Hotels: A Case Study on Hotels of Hyderabad, India

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.

Environment Friendly Practices Adopted in Hotels and their Impact on Customer Satisfaction: A Critical Review of the Literature and Research Implications for the Hospitality Industry

The purpose of the study is to investigate various environment-friendly practices implemented by the hospitality industry while assessing their impact on customer satisfaction. Thirty-one papers were downloaded with keywords such as “environment friendly,” "customer satisfaction," "customer loyalty," and "sustainability" from various online research databases like Google Scholar, Science Direct, ResearchGate, and Emerald Insights from 2000 to 2020. These papers were critically analysed in terms of the different variables associated with the environmentally friendly measures used in hotels. The study will assist hospitality industry managers in developing appropriate marketing strategies that include green measures in order to achieve guest retention, which will result in increased profits and goodwill for the hotels. In addition, the study sheds light on different variables such as demographics, willingness to pay, and visit intention in relation to green practices and guest satisfaction. The findings reveal that the environment-friendly green initiatives adopted in hotels have a positive effect on customer satisfaction. Moreover, the study emphasises how green practices play a key role in achieving customer loyalty through the mediating effect of customer satisfaction. A model of the positive effects of hotel employee training on environment-friendly practices has also been proposed. The willingness to pay for the environment-friendly initiatives reflect a rather contradictory result since a majority of the guests expect hotels to bear the cost of the green initiatives implemented.

Assessment of a Hotel-Based COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Strategy for Persons Experiencing Homelessness

Several jurisdictions in the United States have secured hotels to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness who require isolation or quarantine for confirmed or suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To our knowledge, little is known about how these programs serve this vulnerable population outside the hospital setting. To assess the safety of a hotel-based isolation and quarantine (I/Q) care system and its association with inpatient hospital capacity. This retrospective cohort study of a hotel-based I/Q care system for homeless and unstably housed individuals in San Francisco, California, was conducted from March 19 to May 31, 2020. Individuals unable to safely isolate or quarantine at home with mild to moderate COVID-19, persons under investigation, or close contacts were referred from hospitals, outpatient settings, and public health surveillance to 5 I/Q hotels. Of 1009 I/Q hotel guests, 346 were transferred from a large county public hospital serving patients experiencing homelessness. A physician-supervised team of nurses and health workers provided around-the-clock support, including symptom monitoring, wellness checks, meals, harm-reduction services, and medications for opioid use disorder. Characteristics of I/Q hotel guests, program retention, county hospital readmissions, and mean length of stay. Overall, the 1009 I/Q hotel guests had a median age of 44 years (interquartile range, 33-55 years), 756 (75%) were men, 454 (45%) were Latinx, and 501 (50%) were persons experiencing sheltered (n = 295) or unsheltered (n = 206) homelessness. Overall, 463 (46%) received a diagnosis of COVID-19; 303 of 907 (33%) had comorbid medical disorders, 225 of 907 (25%) had comorbid mental health disorders, and 236 of 907 (26%) had comorbid substance use disorders. A total of 776 of 955 guests (81%) completed their I/Q hotel stay; factors most strongly associated with premature discontinuation were unsheltered homelessness (adjusted odds ratio, 4.5; 95% CI, 2.3-8.6; P < .001) and quarantine status (adjusted odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.5-4.6; P = .001). In total, 346 of 549 patients (63%) were transferred from the county hospital; of 113 ineligible referrals, 48 patients (42%) had behavioral health needs exceeding I/Q hotel capabilities. Thirteen of the 346 patients transferred from the county hospital (4%) were readmitted for worsening COVID-19. Overall, direct transfers to I/Q hotels from emergency and outpatient departments were associated with averting many hospital admissions. There was a nonsignificant decrease in the mean hospital length of stay for inpatients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from 5.5 to 2.7 days from March to May 2020 (P = .11). To support persons experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco rapidly and safely scaled a hotel-based model of I/Q that was associated with reduced strain on inpatient capacity. Strategies to improve guest retention and address behavioral health needs not met in hotel settings are intervention priorities.

Investigation of the separation potential of xanthenyl- and thioxanthenyl-based host compounds for pyridine and isomeric picoline mixtures

Here, the potential of employing trans-N,N′-bis(9-phenyl-9-xanthenyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (1,2-DAX) and trans-N,N′-bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)cyclohexane-1,2-diamine (1,2-DAT) for the purification of various pyridine (PYR), 2-methylpyridine (2MP), 3-methylpyridine (3MP) and 4-methylpyridine (4MP) mixtures, through host–guest chemistry, was investigated. All four solvents were independently clathrated by these host compounds, with a 1:1 host:guest ratio being most favoured. The recrystallization of 1,2-DAX from equimolar mixtures of these guests revealed it to possess an enhanced affinity for 4MP. Furthermore, it was shown that 1,2-DAX may be useful for the separation of solutions of 3MP/PYR, 2MP/PYR and 4MP/2MP; here, host selectivities ranged between 72.9 and 76.6%. The alternative host compound, 1,2-DAT, on the other hand, behaved contrastingly and discriminated significantly against 4MP, whilst preferring the 2-alkylated analogue. Additionally, the selectivity behaviour of 1,2-DAT far exceeded that of 1,2-DAX, and when the solutions were 2MP/4MP, 3MP/4MP and PYR/4MP, very high host selectivities were noted (86.0–94.9%), alluding to the plausibility of using this host compound for these guest separations. Varying the guest amounts in competition experiments confirmed observations from the equimolar investigations. Single crystal X-ray diffraction and thermal analyses were also employed to further analyse the complexes, the reasons for guest retention as well as their relative thermal stabilities. All of our findings are presented here.

Complementary host behaviour of trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diamine derivatives during recrystallization processes from mixed anilines

trans-N,N′-Bis(9-phenyl-9-xanthenyl)cyclohexane-1,4-diamine (1,4-DAX) and trans-N,N′-bis(9-phenyl-9-thioxanthenyl)cyclohexane-1,4-diamine (1,4-DAT) proved to be highly effective host compounds for the enclathration of aniline (ANI), N-methylaniline (NMA) and N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) guest solvents: only DMA was not included and only when using 1,4-DAT. When the host compounds were recrystallized from mixtures of these guests, it was revealed that host selectivities were in the order NMA > ANI > DMA and NMA > DMA > ANI for 1,4-DAX and 1,4-DAT, respectively. Single crystal diffraction experiments were employed to identify the host⋯guest interactions responsible for guest retention in these complexes, while thermal analyses proved futile for the determination of their relative thermal stabilities since most of them displayed poor stability even at room temperature. The selectivity data presented here complement the results obtained when the host compounds employed were 1,2-DAX and 1,2-DAT, as per a previous submission, where DMA was significantly preferred. Since NMA and DMA may be prepared from ANI, the resultant products often have one or more of these anilines present as impurities. This work therefore demonstrates that by utilizing the appropriate host compound, these solvents may be purified through host‒guest chemistry principles.

Exploring the Role of Healthy Green Spaces, Psychological Resilience, Attitude, Brand Attachment, and Price Reasonableness in Increasing Hotel Guest Retention.

The present research was an empirical endeavor to explore the effect of green spaces on the traveler retention process and to establish a theory connecting such green spaces, psychological resilience, attitude, brand attachment, and retention in the hotel industry. A quantitative approach was employed to achieve study objectives. Our findings from the structural analysis indicated that green spaces as nature-based solution significantly influence psychological resilience. In addition, such relationship contributes to increasing positive attitude, strengthening brand-self connection and brand prominence, and building traveler retention. A salient role of attitude in determining retention was found. A further analysis (metric invariance) revealed that the linkage from green spaces to psychological resilience was moderated by hotel price reasonableness, and the association became stronger when guests feel that hotel price is reasonable. Overall, this research successfully verified the importance of a hotel’s green spaces and its role in guest psychological and affective responses and behaviors.

Nature based solutions and customer retention strategy: Eliciting customer well-being experiences and self-rated mental health

This research attempted to explore the specific role of a hotel’s green physical environment as nature-based solution (NBS) in the customer retention process. Our results showed that the green spaces within a hotel and existing outdoor natural environment as NBS significantly increase guests’ perceptions of well-being and self-rated mental health. In addition, our very significant discovery is that among the examined variables, environmental values have a regulatory role. Well-being perception, self-rated mental health, satisfaction, and affective commitment were important mediators. The proposed theoretical framework encompassing NBS factors and these mediators included a strong prediction power for retention. Keeping in line with emerging NBS in environmental behavior and public health, the present study provides a critical guiding framework helping hotel researchers and operators maximize NBS in guest retention process. We discussed the theoretical/practical implications based on the results in detail in the discussion section.

The Impact of the Perceived Service Quality on Revisit Intention in the Tourism Industry: A Conceptual Framework of Strategic Approach and Analysis

Service quality (SQ) is of strategic importance in the hospitality sector from both company’s and customers’ viewpoint. Hence, it is crucial for every organization’s function and survival in such a competitive era. As proven in the literature, competitive advantage apart of being an indicator of a firm’s successful performance, it is an indicator of a firm’s profitability. Through a review in literature there are five hypotheses formed accordingly to the five dimensions of service quality that affect guest retention. The study’s objectives are 1) to identify the dominant guest-defined characteristic of service quality 2) to examine its strategic impact on revisit intention and 3) to identify whether any differences occur between Greek and European guests in the way they perceive service quality. The aim is to provide strategic insights regarding the perceptions of service quality among Greek and European guests, as well as to clarify if there are any differences in the way their perceptions are formed in order to contribute to the literature with regard to the Greek hospitality sector. Questionnaires, based on the SERVQUAL model will be used, in order to collect data from guests that have previously visited a 4 or 5 star hotel. Upon collection, the data will be analyzed with the use of the SPSS program. This paper follows the standards of similar surveys in the industry focused on the measurement of Service Quality. Though, little attempt can be spotted in regards to service quality in 4 and 5 star hotel sector in Greece and give practical directions for strategic design and implementation of services.

Indoor and outdoor physical surroundings and guests’ emotional well-being

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the relationship of internal/external physical environments and emotional well-being and to explore the possible influence of such an association with guest satisfaction and retention considering the moderating role of price perception in the luxury resort hotel context.Design/methodology/approachA total of 603 responses were gathered from a field survey at luxury resort hotels. The data were analyzed using quantitative data analyses to achieve research objectives.FindingsThe results from the structural model assessment revealed that both internal and external physical environments elicited emotional well-being, which in turn leads to the increased guest satisfaction and retention. More specifically, internal atmospherics had a stronger impact on triggering subsequent variables compared to external environment factors. The outcomes also indicated the significant mediating role of emotional well-being and satisfaction. Emotional well-being was found to mediate the effect of internal and external physical environments on guest satisfaction, while guest satisfaction mediated the effect of emotional well-being on guest retention. Moreover, price perception significantly moderated the guest satisfaction–guest retention association. Overall, the proposed conceptual framework satisfactorily accounted for variance in guest retention.Originality/valueThe findings help practitioners in luxury resort hotels to develop ways to boost guests’ post-purchase behaviors by using internal/external atmospherics and emotional well-being.

Ball‐Milling‐Induced Amorphization of Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks (ZIFs) for the Irreversible Trapping of Iodine

The I2-sorption and -retention properties of several existing zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-4, -8, -69) and a novel framework, ZIF-mnIm ([Zn(mnIm)2 ]; mnIm=4-methyl-5-nitroimidazolate), have been characterised using microanalysis, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. The topologically identical ZIF-8 ([Zn(mIm)2]; mIm=2-methylimidazolate) and ZIF-mnIm display similar sorption abilities, though strikingly different guest-retention behaviour upon heating. We discover that this guest retention is greatly enhanced upon facile amorphisation by ball milling, particularly in the case of ZIF-mnIm, for which I2 loss is retarded by as much as 200 °C. It is anticipated that this general approach should be applicable to the wide range of available metal-organic framework-type materials for the permanent storage of harmful guest species.

Customer relationship management for hotels in Hong Kong

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate how hotels are implementing customer relationship management (CRM) practices at the property level.Design/methodology/approachSemi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 45 hotel managers from 17 hotels. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis.FindingsAll participating hotels have practices in place to manage customer relationships. The most commonly cited goal for CRM is guest retention. Evaluation and control are perceived as very important activities not only to create value for the customers, but also to track the performance of the guest contact departments and the customers' evaluations of the hotel/restaurant experiences.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample is probably biased towards hotels that are most interested in CRM and are heavily weighted towards higher tariff properties.Practical implicationsThe study modified Buttle's CRM value chain to analyze hotels' CRM practices. Results of the study provide a source for industry practitioners to compare and benchmark their practices and to obtain useful CRM ideas.Originality/valueCRM‐related research in the hotel industry has looked at a variety of specific practices and its role in achieving overall objectives at the corporate strategic level. Yet, no research has been done to investigate CRM practices at the property level for hotels using the CRM value chain.

Selective guest retention in thermal guest-release process in sandwich-type inclusion crystal of cholic acid

Ternary inclusion crystals of cholic acid (CA) with two aromatic compounds, m-fluoroaniline (G1) and indene (G2), were investigated from a viewpoint of selective incorporation and release. Recrystallization of CA from an equimolar mixture of G1 and G2 gave the CA crystal in a 47 : 53 molar ratio of G1 to G2. This ternary crystal has a sandwich-type structure with a two-dimensional (2D) host cavity consisting of two non-equivalent sites, A and B. G1 tends to be included in the site A owing to hydrogen bonds, while G2 in the site B. This site affinity for each guest was confirmed in a bulk crystal as well as in a single crystal of the ternary compound. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the two guest molecules were released at two different temperature ranges of 50–100 °C and 100–120 °C. Heat treatment of the starting crystal at 90 °C for 10 min yielded the expected intermediate crystal, which had a bilayer structure with a one-dimensional (1D) cavity in a 60 : 40 molar ratio of G1 to G2. Moreover, irrespective of the guest ratios in the starting CA crystals, G1 was preferentially retained in the thermal guest-release process. Such preferential retention of G1 is attributable to the host–guest hydrogen bond between CA and G1 at the site A in the 2D cavity.

Environmentally responsive micelles from polystyrene–poly[bis(potassium carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] block copolymers

AbstractAmphiphilic diblock copolymers that contained hydrophilic poly[bis(potassium carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] segments and hydrophobic polystyrene sections were synthesized via the controlled cationic polymerization of Cl3PNSiMe3 with a polystyrenyl–phosphoranimine as a macromolecular terminator. These block copolymers self‐associated in aqueous media to form micellar structures which were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The size and shape of the micelles were not affected by the introduction of different monovalent cations (Li+, K+, Na+, and Cs+) into the stable micellar solutions. However, exposure to divalent cations induced intermicellar crosslinking through carboxylate groups, which caused precipitation of the ionically crosslinked aggregates from solution. This micelle‐coupling behavior was reversible: the subsequent addition of monovalent cations caused the redispersion of the polystyrene‐block‐poly[bis(potassium carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] (PS–KPCPP) block copolymers into a stable micellar solution. Aqueous micellar solutions of PS–KPCPP copolymers also showed pH‐dependent behavior. These attributes make PS–KPCPP block copolymers suitable for studies of guest retention and release in response to ion charge and pH. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 2912–2920, 2005

Competing resort hotels Word-of-mouth communication and guest retention

Word-of-mouth (WOM) communications were the most often reported method of first learning about hotel choices in an ocean resort area. WOM communications were associated positively with customer retention by resort hotels, ie resort hotels having the most WOM communications had the highest reported most recent visits from customers known to have stayed at the respective hotels. Specific hotel services perceived to have been better than expected were found to be associated with WOM communication. The study Included a five-page questionnaire sent to samples of customers of six hotels. Comparisons of WOM communications by customers across hotels are provided.