Enhancing Loyalty to Mobile Hotel Applications: The Roles of Application Quality, Ease of Use, Usefulness, and Brand Experience

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a research model that elucidates the complexities of customer loyalty in the context of mobile hotel applications. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 324 Korean users through a combination of stratified random and purposive sampling, targeting individuals who had recently used and remained loyal to a specific mobile hotel application. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed model. Findings: Information quality significantly affects both utilitarian (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness) and hedonic (brand image, brand trust) factors. User interface quality influences perceived ease of use and brand image. All perceptual factors (i.e., perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, brand image, and brand trust) positively impact satisfaction, which strongly predicts loyalty. Research limitations/implications: The study is limited to a single-country context. Future research should test the model across diverse cultural and market settings. Originality/value: This study extends the technology acceptance model by incorporating branding constructs, offering a comprehensive view of loyalty formation in mobile hotel app environments.