The psychology of vacationers’ hotel brand choice in a post-pandemic world

Abstract

The present study investigated patrons’ intricate psychological process for hotel brand choice and preference. This research uncovered hotel selection attributes in shaping brand loyalty through customer experience, brand trust, brand attachment, age, and gender in the post-pandemic world. This paper categorized hotel selection attributes into that vacationers appreciate in the domestic tourism context. The findings indicated the significant effect of hotel selection attributes on customer experience, which in turn affect brand preference. Also, the moderating effect of age was identified in the relationship between hotel selection attributes and customer experience. This research is among the first to revisit hotel selection attributes for domestic tourism amid the pandemic and the way to cultivate the loyalty toward a hotel brand.