Enhancing Competitiveness Through Guests’ Experiences: A Typology of Customer Experiences in Upscale Hotels

ABSTRACT

This study sought to develop a marketing model that can enhance the competitiveness of four- and five-star hotels in Kenya. The main factors generating guests’ expectations and delight were investigated after focusing on managers’ and customers’ opinions since these perspectives have generally been underexplored. The voices and viewpoints of these stakeholders were therefore incorporated and analyzed in determining an appropriate marketing model, which was based on the experiences of guests in hotels after examining what they considered important.

KEYWORDS:

• Customer-driven marketing model
• enhanced competitiveness
• four- and five-star hotels
• guests’ experiences