How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand

Poshtels have become the high-end version of the backpacker’s hostel, which is now combining the comfort and style of boutique hotels with the sensibilities and budge prices of a hostel. Current research has stated that the global market for hostels is $5.2 billion, with the smaller niche market of...

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Main Authors: Chatchai Phromlert, Assist. Prof. Dr. Samart Deebhijarn, Assist. Prof. Dr. Puris Sornsaruht
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AfricaJournals 2019-10-01
Series:African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_88_vol_8_5__2019_thailand.pdf
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author Chatchai Phromlert
Assist. Prof. Dr. Samart Deebhijarn
Assist. Prof. Dr. Puris Sornsaruht
author_facet Chatchai Phromlert
Assist. Prof. Dr. Samart Deebhijarn
Assist. Prof. Dr. Puris Sornsaruht
author_sort Chatchai Phromlert
collection DOAJ
description Poshtels have become the high-end version of the backpacker’s hostel, which is now combining the comfort and style of boutique hotels with the sensibilities and budge prices of a hostel. Current research has stated that the global market for hostels is $5.2 billion, with the smaller niche market of poshtels rapidly growing. As such, the authors set out to investigate which factors influence a Thai poshtel’s e-loyalty (eLOY). An analysis was conducted on the six hypotheses interrelationships between website quality (WQ), e-service quality (e-SQ), e-satisfaction (e-SAT), and social value (SV). Initial analysis was conducted by the use of confirmatory factor analysis [CFA], followed by a structural equation model [SEM] path analysis using LISREL 9.1 on the study’s five latent variables. From the audited questionnaire sample of 405 poshtel guests, the factors affecting e-LOY were SV (TE = 0 . 81), e-SQ (TE = .59), WQ (TE=.28), and eSAT (TE). Additionally, all the model's variables influenced poshtel guest e-LOY as the combined influence of the factors (R2) was 75%. Although the ten poshtel websites used in the study showed very creative designs and a multitude of promotional features, the poshtel guests rated this as a moderate concern but elevated the social value that the poshtel brings to its guests as very important, with numerous reports backing this conclusion. Therefore, poshtel proprietors need to take great care in maximizing their guest online social experience by providing accommodations that are ‘picture perfect’ and exciting to the guest and smartphone camera’s eye. Moreover, although it might be expected that younger Millennials are in the majority of the guests (they were at 70.62%), it is also interesting to note that almost 30% were 31 years of age or older.
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spelling doaj.art-aa8d6e020a4d49f892d4cc9efbdca2252022-12-21T23:17:37ZengAfricaJournalsAfrican Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure2223-814X2019-10-0185How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in ThailandChatchai Phromlert0Assist. Prof. Dr. Samart Deebhijarn 1Assist. Prof. Dr. Puris Sornsaruht 2Faculty of Administration and Management King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) ThailandFaculty of Administration and Management King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) Faculty of Administration and Management King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) Thailand Poshtels have become the high-end version of the backpacker’s hostel, which is now combining the comfort and style of boutique hotels with the sensibilities and budge prices of a hostel. Current research has stated that the global market for hostels is $5.2 billion, with the smaller niche market of poshtels rapidly growing. As such, the authors set out to investigate which factors influence a Thai poshtel’s e-loyalty (eLOY). An analysis was conducted on the six hypotheses interrelationships between website quality (WQ), e-service quality (e-SQ), e-satisfaction (e-SAT), and social value (SV). Initial analysis was conducted by the use of confirmatory factor analysis [CFA], followed by a structural equation model [SEM] path analysis using LISREL 9.1 on the study’s five latent variables. From the audited questionnaire sample of 405 poshtel guests, the factors affecting e-LOY were SV (TE = 0 . 81), e-SQ (TE = .59), WQ (TE=.28), and eSAT (TE). Additionally, all the model's variables influenced poshtel guest e-LOY as the combined influence of the factors (R2) was 75%. Although the ten poshtel websites used in the study showed very creative designs and a multitude of promotional features, the poshtel guests rated this as a moderate concern but elevated the social value that the poshtel brings to its guests as very important, with numerous reports backing this conclusion. Therefore, poshtel proprietors need to take great care in maximizing their guest online social experience by providing accommodations that are ‘picture perfect’ and exciting to the guest and smartphone camera’s eye. Moreover, although it might be expected that younger Millennials are in the majority of the guests (they were at 70.62%), it is also interesting to note that almost 30% were 31 years of age or older.https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_88_vol_8_5__2019_thailand.pdfAccommodationsboutique hotelshostelssocial mediatourism
spellingShingle Chatchai Phromlert
Assist. Prof. Dr. Samart Deebhijarn
Assist. Prof. Dr. Puris Sornsaruht
How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
Accommodations
boutique hotels
hostels
social media
tourism
title How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
title_full How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
title_fullStr How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
title_full_unstemmed How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
title_short How website quality, e-service quality, e-satisfaction, and social value affect poshtel e-loyalty in Thailand
title_sort how website quality e service quality e satisfaction and social value affect poshtel e loyalty in thailand
topic Accommodations
boutique hotels
hostels
social media
tourism
url https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_88_vol_8_5__2019_thailand.pdf
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