ABSTRACT
50 Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate and identify the key themes that help create positive memorable experiences for hotel customers.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This study is qualitative in nature and employs the thematic analyses technique. First, an extensive review of current literature is carried out to understand the factors that contribute to the creation of positive memorable experiences for hotel customers. An initial thematic map is developed based on this. A sample of the world’s top 10 hotels is chosen based on TripAdvisor’s “2014 Travellers’ Choice – top 25 hotels in the world” report. A total of 248 reviews and feedback (indicating positive memorable experiences) posted over a period of 12 months by real customers of sampled hotels were identified. These are then content analyzed using thematic analysis to confirm the themes that create memorable experience for the guests of the world’s top 10 hotels. A final thematic map is then prepared based on these confirmed themes.
Findings: Six themes emerged in the study. Perceived hospitality and professionalism of the hotel staff, perception of travel experience and hotel space management were found to be the most important factors that create a memorable experience for the hotel guests.
Practical Implications: The findings of this research are based on the analysis of real customer reviews and feedback. Therefore, this study offers important insights for hotel management staff, as they now have the means to identify the source of customers’ memorable hotel experience. The study also has implications for academia. It provides a range of themes for future researchers to empirically validate and test their contribution to the creation of memorable experiences in terms of the hospitality sector in general and hotels in particular.
Originality/Value: This study amalgamates customers’ real experience and feedback to assist hoteliers in increasing customers’ memorable hotel experience. The research approach used in this study makes it valuable not only for the practitioners in hospitality by giving them much required guidance but it also contributes to the hospitality literature by opening up an avenue for useful further research.
