Abstract

Hotel reward programs have been in existence for three decades. These programs were originally established as a customer relationship management tool to reward loyal guests for their patronage. Over time, there have been indications that the programs that are intended to inspire loyalty to the company have actually inspired loyalty to the program itself. The aim of this study was to analyze the antecedents of program satisfaction and program loyalty in hotels to determine the relationship between the program attributes and the impact on program loyalty. Switching costs were also analyzed to determine if they played a moderating role in the relationship between program satisfaction and program loyalty. Data was collected using an online questionnaire based upon measures from previous studies on the following variables: functional value, external value, utilitarian value, hedonic value, symbolic value, program satisfaction, switching costs, and program loyalty. Using the statistical software SPSS and SmartPLS, the data was empirically tested. The results indicated that program satisfaction is a driver of program loyalty. Switching costs did not have a statistically significant impact on the relationship between program satisfaction and program loyalty. Of great interest is the indicators of perceived value. As utilitarian value has been used as a dominant portion of reward programs in the past, in this study, it did not have a significant impact on the perceived value of the program. As the needs of customers change, it is necessary for industry to change as well. The research presented in this study has both theoretical and practical implications, as the results can provide a greater understanding of the value of hotel rewards from the customers viewpoint.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2022

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Severt, Denver

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

Degree Program

Hospitality Management

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0009661; DP0027605

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027605

Language

English

Release Date

February 2024

Length of Campus-only Access

1 year

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

Location

Rosen College of Hospitality Management

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