Impact of service quality, perceived value, and trust on tourists’ revisit intention: The mediating role of e-WOM

Abstract

The present study investigates the linkages among the dimensions of service quality, perceived value, trust, electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), and revisit intention in the hospitality sector. The study is based on relationship marketing and consumer behavior perspectives and explores the mediating effect of e-WOM on customers' perceptions of behavioral loyalty outcomes. The data were gathered from 384 respondents using a structured questionnaire and then analyzed by Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that service quality, perceived value, and trust are significant factors affecting e-WOM, and e-WOM has a strong positive effect on revisit intention. Perceived value was the most important antecedent of e-WOM. An interesting result was that trust had a significant negative influence on e-WOM, which means that customer trust is not a sufficient factor to drive customers' active online communication behavior. The results also have practical implications for hospitality managers who wish to improve the matters of customer retention by enhancing their hospitality services, creating value for them, and keeping them engaged online.