Trust and Commitment as Mediating Variables in the Relationship Between Satisfaction and Hotel Guest Loyalty

Abstract

Developing guest loyalty has become paramount for the hotel business, as many guests have reduced the size of their pockets, and others have increased their concerns for safety when travelling, including safety at hotels. This study aimed at explaining how hotel guests develop loyalty. Hotel guests in two different countries, Mexico and Chile, were sampled. As in previous but recent research, hotel guests considered satisfaction with the service only a starting point in their long-term relationship with the hotel and two variables, commitment and trust, as mediating paths to reach customer loyalty. Similar to previous research, this study found that these two variables mediate the relationship between satisfaction and hotel guest loyalty. However, it was also found a strong guest's reliance on commitment when developing loyalty whereas at the same time there is a strong impact of satisfaction and trust on commitment.