Beyond the hotel walls : the influence of service quality on loyalty

Abstract

Beyond the Hotel Walls is inspired by the intricate behaviour that goes on before and after the hotel customers make their purchases from their hotel XYZ; a behaviour that surely goes beyond the hotel's four walls. The consideration of alternatives, media influences, industry changes, and the influence of others make this behaviour a rather convoluted one. In this light, the study seeks to uncover ratings on service quality elements and the implications this has on varying degrees of loyalty amongst the domestic market for hotel amenities. Review of the extant literature in the area governed choices of instruments used and their adaptation. The resulting data found a positive non linear relationship between service quality and overall loyalty, and found employee ratings as the most sought service quality element among the respondents. The findings provide implications for future research and service management on how to cultivate loyalty whilst improving perceived service quality to maintain and improve loyalty.