Open AccessThe Nexus between Social Media Marketing Activities and Brand Loyalty in Hotel Facebook Pages
Author(s) -
Blend Ibrahim
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
tourism
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 1849-1545
pISSN - 1332-7461
DOI - 10.37741/t.69.2.5
Subject(s) - social media , advertising , star (game theory) , nexus (standard) , brand loyalty , loyalty , business , psychology , mediation , marketing , sociology , political science , computer science , mathematics , mathematical analysis , social science , law , embedded system
This study advances research on social media marketing activities (SMMA) and brandtrust by empirically exploring their relationships with brand loyalty, andpurchase intention, among a representative cross-section of five-star (5)hotels and four-star (4) hotels Facebook profiles in Kyrenia City (NorthernCyprus). The data gathered for this research adds to our understanding oftoday's social media marketing as a new-generation marketing tool. This studyalso tests for the mediating effect of brand trust and the moderating effect ofhotel ratings (five-star/four-star) on the proposed relationships. Based on 407 customers that were surveyed, the results indicate that SMMA did have a positive effect on brand loyalty, purchase intention, and brand trust. Hotel ratings (five-star/four-star) moderate the link between SMMA and brand loyalty; however, the link between SMMA and purchase intention was moderated by hotel ratings (five-star/four-star). The results showed that hotel ratings (five-star/four-star) made no difference at the model level. Therefore, the multi-group moderating effect of hotel ratings on the measurement model was tested at the path level. Lastly, the mediation outcome of brand trust was partially supported. Thus, consequential recommendations have been put forward.