A multi-dimensional approach to customer advocacy: examining the role of hotel components through the lens of TRA and SOR theories

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the components of hotels to understand how customers perceive the experience of the service offerings and to examine differences in the perceptions of customers related to the hotel components that influence customer experience, positive emotion and advocacy. Design/methodology/approach Purposive sampling through a self-administered survey approach was employed. A total of 484 questionnaires were integrated into a path analysis using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Findings The results show that hotel ambience and hospitality positively influence customer experience, positive emotion and customer advocacy. Hotel activities and physical design also enhance customer experience. Importantly, customer experience and positive emotion mediate customer advocacy, suggesting that customer experiences and positive emotions strengthen customers’ advocacy to support the hotel. Practical implications The findings provide hotel managers with deeper insights into designing holistic customer experiences and developing more effective marketing strategies. Furthermore, the findings highlight strategic opportunities to enhance hotel operations and strengthen customer experience, positive emotions and customer advocacy within the hospitality industry. Originality/value The hospitality literature lacks investigation into the hotel components that influence specific outcomes such as customer experience, positive emotion and customer advocacy. Drawing on the Theory of Reasoned Action and the stimulus–organism–response model, the model employed in this study examined the role of multiple dimensions of hotel components in the hotel business.