Hotel guests’ revisit intentions post-COVID-19: Re-examining the role of service quality, CSR, and reputation while accounting for guests’ trepidation

Abstract

This study re-examined the relationships between service quality (SQ), CSR, and hotel reputation and their effects on hotel guests’ revisit intentions (RIs) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also assesses the moderating role of fear of visit caused by COVID-19 on the paths between established variables and guests’ future (post-COVID-19) RIs. Data were collected during May 2021 from 195 French respondents who stayed at mid- to upscale hotels during the previous two years. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), results revealed that, while SQ directly and indirectly (through reputation) positively influences guests’ post-COVID-19 RIs, CSR only exerts an indirect positive influence on RIs through reputation. Moreover, findings indicated that a hotel reputation can ease guests’ fear, thereby driving future post-COVID-19 revisits. These results add to the few studies in hospitality and tourism on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic (through fear of visit) on travelers’ future revisit intent.