Services Marketing in the Lodging Industry: An Empirical Investigation

This study examines lodging marketing managers' methods of value addition, improvements in service quality, application of service guarantees, and overall commitment to the satisfaction of lodging consumers through service. A total of 250 marketing directors in various hotels, motels, inns, casinos, and resorts were interviewed using a self-administered mail questionnaire. Ninety-five usable questionnaires were returned, and the data were analyzed using a multiple discriminant analysis in SPSSX routine. The findings indicated that service marketing and value addition through services were valued by lodging marketers in specific market segments. This information holds serious managerial implications for marketing managers in all segments of an increasingly competitive lodging market.