HOSPITALITY AND THE INFLUENCE OF SERVICE IN THE PERCEPTION OF GUEST SATISFACTION IN LUXURY HOTELS IN BRAZIL

ABSTRACT:

The luxury hotel industry is related to differentiated costumer services, ostentation and unique experiences. In Brazil, the evaluation and classification of the hotel industry are based on two important cornerstones: facilities and services. This combination may bring a differentiation for the market positioning of some hotels. Despite the importance of this subject, there is a huge gap in knowledge in academic studies, specially concerning aspects of the Hospitality and hotel industry in Brasil. The main objective of this article is to assess how far the concept of hospitality influences customer services in the luxury hotel market, and whether these concepts affect customer satisfaction. The research procedures included descriptive research with quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected through a survey involving 462 hotel guests and a mailing list of 25 luxury hotels classified on TripAdvisor. The results of the statistical analysis, conducted using the software SmartPLS 3, showed the existence of positive and strong relations between hospitality, customer services and customer satisfaction, corroborating the proposed hypotheses. Thus, the premise was supported that the moment of service, especially in the luxury hotel industry, is an important factor to be considered, and makes a valuable contribution to the management and academic fields. This research may contribute with information for luxury hotel managers that could help them improve their strategies in relation to daily practices, in order to fulfill customers’ expectations.

Keywords:
Hospitality; Luxury Market; Hotel Industry