Perceived Quality and Perceived Value Influence on Brand Loyalty Toward Luxury Hotel in Kunming, Yunnan, China

Abstract

This research scrutinizes the factors that drive brand loyalty within the luxury hotel sector in Kunming to strengthen the industry’s competitive advantage in a time of changing global tourism trends and a growing consumer demand for customized and emotionally engaging experiences. Kunming has become a sought-after destination for both leisure and business travelers due to its distinctive landscapes and pleasant climate, reflected in the expansion of its luxury hotel market, increased tourism revenue, and regional GDP growth from 2018 to 2022. Despite these positive trends, the luxury hotel sector faces challenges from the global pandemic and fierce market competition. To address this, the study employs various inferential statistical methods to test the hypotheses, explicitly using the Independent Samples t-test, the One-way ANOVA, and the Multiple Regression analysis. This quantitative analysis, which gathers data from 400 patrons across three prestigious hotels in Kunming, reveals that age, monthly income, and profession are significant demographic predictors of brand loyalty. It is observed that loyalty is more pronounced among older and wealthier demographics, with students and government officials showing more loyalty than other professions. In conclusion, the research suggests that luxury hotels in Kunming need to customize their engagement and retention strategies to align with the distinctive characteristics of these key demographic groups to improve brand loyalty. The recommendations include enhancing the experience for older and wealthier clients and formulating targeted engagement policies for students and government officials. These strategies are essential for luxury hotels to successfully navigate the post-pandemic market and maintain a robust competitive edge, ensuring continuous growth and profitability in Kunming’s upscale hospitality sector.