Posttrip Behavioral Differences Between First-Time and Repeat Guests: A Two-Phase Study in a Hospitality Setting

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate posttrip behavioral differences between first-time and repeat hotel guests by examining causal relationships among delight, satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty, and behavioral loyalty. A two-phase study was conducted to validate actual future behavioral loyalty. The online surveys to measure satisfaction, delight, and attitudinal loyalty were completed by 1,573 hotel guests as Time 1. A follow-up study was used to identify those who rebooked and stayed in the same hotel within the year; behavioral loyalty as Time 2. A proposed model was tested in the hotel setting using structural equation analysis. The impact of delight on attitudinal loyalty was found to be greater for first-time guests than for repeat guests. Implications for management and future research are presented. Customer satisfaction was found to have a greater influence on attitudinal loyalty for repeat guests than for first-time guests.

KEYWORDS:

• Consumer behavior
• delight
• satisfaction
• loyalty
• hotel guests