Understanding the Customer Experience: An Exploratory Study of "A" Category Hotels

This study explores the customers’ experience by examining an empirical data of "A" category hotel customers. The purpose of this study is to examine the interrelationships among the customer experience, customer satisfaction, and customer commitment in the context of "A" category hotels of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The data were collected, using convenient sampling method, from 175 tourists/customers comprising 99 national and 76 foreign tourists of "A" category hotels located in four different tourist cities of Jammu and Kashmir, namely Gulmargh, Srinagar, Phalgam, and Jammu. After reliability and validity, the data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, correlations, and regression analysis.The result from the findings suggests that the dimensions of customer experience influences customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction in turn, influences commitment. The study establishes positive and significant relationships among customer experiences dimensions, customer satisfaction, and customer commitment. Further, it provides directions to hospitality service providers in creating, enhancing, and maintaining satisfaction and commitment through customer experience so as to sustain competitive advantage.