THE IMPACT OF RELATIONSHIP MARKETING ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN THE TOUR AND TRAVEL COMPANIES IN MALAYSIA DURING COV-19 PANDEMIC: PARALLEL MEDIATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND RELATIONSHIP QUALITY

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the parallel mediating effect of social media and relationship quality between relationship marketing and customer loyalty. A series of regression analysis provided the statistical result that tested the hypothesis proposed in this research. The total population of the travel and tourism firms registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture was 4746. The results of this study were obtained from data collected through 361 out of 600 self-administered questionnaires. A series of regression analysis assessed the impact of relationship marketing on customer loyalty in the tour and tourism companies in Malaysia. The results indicated that social media platforms utilised and the application of relationship quality are statistically significant and mediates the relationship between relationship marketing and customer loyalty. It can be concluded accurately from the literature and the statistical analysis conducted that there is concrete evidence that relationship marketing impacts customer loyalty. The intervening variables tested were social media use and relationship quality. The outcomes verified that social media and relationship quality are crucial factors that induces customer loyalty. Both social media and relationship quality defines how the effects between relationship marketing and customer loyalty occur. The mediating effects of social media and relationship quality between relationship marketing and customer loyalty are the actual factors that generate customer loyalty which then leads to customer retention and repeat purchase in the travel and tourism sector in Malaysia. Article visualizations: