1 Introduction

Researchers define Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a broad concept encompassing the organisation’s internal operations and environmental effects (Guzzo et al. 2020; Kim et al. 2023). CSR encompasses a business’ extracurricular efforts and goodwill acts that benefit the environment, society, customers and stakeholders. The concept of CSR emphasises a company’s moral, social, and environmental responsibility and extends beyond legal compliance and financial goals. A hotel’s CSR activities should also consider the organisation’s social, environmental, and sustainability liabilities (Lee et al. 2022). In this vein, hotel managers have been recently focused on adopting corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a concept to achieve their corporate goals (Song and Kang 2019; Kaur et al. 2022) as well as to minimise the harmful effects of hotel’s operations on nature, culture, and social life (Peng and Chen 2019).

Achieving customer satisfaction and loyalty is critical for hotels operating in a highly competitive industry. Companies adopting the CSR paradigm may improve brand recognition and increase customer loyalty, job satisfaction and productivity of their personnel. Such beneficial outcomes may occur if organisations demonstrate that CSR is their principal virtue and exhibit a genuine commitment to positively affecting society (Gutiérrez-Rodríguez et al., 2017). On the contrary, customers, suppliers, employees, and other stakeholders tend to react to CSR initiatives by supporting such businesses. By following CSR principles, companies may improve their organisational and business performance by increasing sales and reducing costs (Moise et al. 2021). Thereby, hotels should consider developing and implementing CSR strategies to receive a positive response from the hotel guests to their initiatives (Kaur et al. 2022). According to the pertinent literature, customer loyalty indicates that guests accept and support these initiatives (Kim and Kim 2014). Moreover, several prior studies have targeted establishing a linkage between CSR strategy implementation and customer loyalty (Islam et al. 2021; Min et al. 2023). However, due to several research limitations in the domain of the prior research, it has not been profoundly affirmed that customer perception of CSR adequately explains customer loyalty in the context of hotels.

Prior research has explored CSR strategies implementation and determined its positive effects on customer experience (Lo 2020), corporate image (Kim et al. 2023), customer trust (Hoang and Nguyen 2020), and customer satisfaction (Agyei et al. 2021). However, unlike other research contexts (Cuesta-Valiño et al. 2023), little is documented concerning the effects of CSR perception by customers on their loyalty to the brand in hotel settings, except for a limited number of studies (Latif et al. 2020). Simultaneously, researchers have noted that customer loyalty attainment is a challenge for a hotel because of the increased degree of customer choice and, thus, fierce competition in this industry (Wu et al. 2021). Thus, exploring customer loyalty through the lens of CSR is essential for hotel management because this research can confirm the positive effects of CSR strategies execution on hotel’ organisational and business performance. Furthermore, there is still a fragmented understanding and no consensus in academia concerning customer loyalty development through the implementation of CSR strategies. That said, whereas the CSR paradigm is a relatively novel concept for hotel management, an impetus and propagation are essential for multifarious research examining CSR and its intermediary and ultimate consequences, where customer loyalty is a crucial outcome of CSR strategy execution.

The rationale for this research stems from the necessity to examine the key facets delineated above. This study aims to develop and validate a theoretical model that integrates the intercessor consequences of implementing a CSR concept in hotel settings, including customer experience, customer happiness, customer trust, and customer satisfaction. To the greatest extent of our knowledge, prior literature has not profoundly examined the combination and sequence of these primary outcomes of CSR. Additionally, the significance of customer experience as an explanatory variable and its role in fostering customer loyalty has been undervalued in existing research. The proposed conceptual model establishes customer loyalty as the ultimate outcome of effective CSR implementation through customer experience, customer happiness, customer trust, and customer satisfaction. By incorporating both direct and indirect links between the constructs, this framework enhances our understanding of the origins of customer loyalty and the varying strengths of the CSR and intercessor constructs effects observed within the model.

This research has several objectives to accomplish the posed aim, including developing the theoretical framework to investigate the linkage between CSR and customer loyalty with the mediation of customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness and customer trust in the hotel brand. These dimensions are essential drivers for customer loyalty in the hotel industry, amply explored by the extant literature in various research contexts (Kim et al. 2015; Satti et al. 2020; Triatmanto et al. 2021). Therefore, evaluating these variables as mediators between CSR and customer loyalty in hotel settings is critical, as suggested by prior research (Moise et al. 2021).

The present study has several contributions to offer to the hospitality and CSR literature. The most significant theoretical implication stemming from the completed research denotes a confirmation of customer experience and customer happiness as consequences of CSR, simultaneously mediating its effects on customer loyalty to the hotel brand. The prior research on the role of intermediary factors between CSR and customer loyalty in the context of hotels has not considered customer experience and customer happiness. Regarding the practical implications, our findings have revealed the positive effects of implementing CSR strategies on customer satisfaction, happiness and, ultimately, customer loyalty to the hotel brand. This finding and other conclusions from the completed research can be important for hotel managers.

The rest of the paper unfolds in a sequence of four sections commencing with a literature review and hypotheses development, followed by research methodology and a section presenting the results of the research. The paper concludes with a section presenting the study’s implications and their discussion.

2 Literature review and hypotheses development

2.1 CSR and its consequences

The CSR concept became known in the sixth decade of the last century as a response to the overwhelming growth of production and more aggressive marketing thanks to booming economies, particularly in developed countries. Researchers noted the menace of uncontrolled corporations’ race for profit, which could affect the global society in the long term (Latapí Agudelo et al. 2019). Moreover, corporations were noted to have a growing impact on society; thus, they must assume responsibility for the sustainable development of humanity, according to Bowen (2013), who coined the notion of CSR. His approach to defining CSR highlights business policies and decision-making that must be aligned with ‘the objectives and values of our society’ (Bowen 2013, p.15).

Marketing literature reveals that customers actively and positively react to CSR initiatives and tend to buy more products and services from companies that demonstrate their real engagement in CSR modus (Jan et al. 2021). That said, CSR has gradually transferred from pure philanthropy to a practical marketing tool aiding businesses to build their positive corporate and brand image (Gutiérrez-Rodríguez et al. 2017). However, researchers in marketing have indicated that CSR implementation has consequences other than corporate image that are also significant for business organisations (Contini et al. 2020).

In this line, an extant body of marketing literature underpinned customer loyalty as a pivotal consequence of CSR application (Islam et al. 2021) because loyalty generates many benefits for business organisations, including repeated sales, marketing costs reduction, and positive WOM to name a few (Arslan 2020). In the context of hotels, various studies determined the positive influence generated by CSR on customer loyalty (Latif et al. 2020). Furthermore, accumulated research has examined direct and indirect CSR effects on customer loyalty (Overall 2017). According to prior research, CSR’s indirect effects on customer loyalty are generated via a number of factors, including customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness, and customer trust in the brand (Cuesta-Valiño et al. 2019; Hoang et al. 2020; Lo 2020).

As priorly noted, CSR’s direct and indirect effects on customer loyalty have not been amply explored in the context of hotels. Moreover, prior research has not addressed some significant variables for customer loyalty generation, namely customer experience and customer happiness. Therefore, it is beneficial for the marketing literature to explore CSR’s direct and indirect effects on customer loyalty in hotel settings. Hence, the first set of hypotheses is posited as follows:

H1

CSR positively influences customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

H2

CSR positively influences customer experience in hotel settings.

H3

CSR generates customer satisfaction with hotel services.

H4

CSR engenders customer happiness in hotel settings.

H5

CSR generates customer trust in the hotel brand.

These hypotheses are significant for the CSR and marketing literature because they can shed more light on CSR’s implication in sculpting hotel guests’ perception and evaluation of the hotel services and determine the direct CSR effect on customer loyalty in the hotel settings, which has been little documented in the literature to date.

2.2 Sequential effects between intermediary CSR consequences

Until most recently, marketing and hospitality literature have profoundly investigated the antecedents of customer loyalty. Various studies have noted that customer loyalty is generated via a sequence of factors creating sequential effects between them and gradually increasing the probability of customer loyalty onset (Islam et al. 2021). In this vein, accumulated research indicates that customer experience influences customer satisfaction and is the first precursor of loyalty generation (Kim and So 2022). Thus, we posit that:

H6

Positive customer experience engenders customer satisfaction with the hotel services.

Customer happiness is a concept recently introduced by a number of studies (Núñez-Barriopedro et al. 2021; Agarwal et al. 2022). Researchers have noted that customer happiness implies customer delight and stems from superior customer satisfaction with the product or service consumption (Kumar 2021; Robina-Ramírez et al. 2022). On top of that, an extant body of research has indicated several specific factors generating customer happiness including service personalisation, recognition, emotional connection, customer engagement and unexpected rewards (de Azambuja et al. 2023). Moreover, the literature indicates that customer happiness is an antecedent factor for generating customer loyalty (Cuesta-Valiño et al. 2022). Hence, we hypothesise that:

H7

Customer satisfaction generates customer happiness in hotel settings.

Furthermore, according to the literature, customer trust in the product or service brand is another significant facet of the customer’s relationship with the company (Hossain et al. 2019). When customers gain trust in a brand, they can feel more secure and relaxed amid interacting with the company. Customer trust denotes a customer-oriented approach by the business organisation, which takes time to develop and requires successful interactions and effective communications with customers (Fatima et al. 2020). These successful encounters can create positive emotions and make customers not only satisfied but happy with the company, its products, services and brands. Thus, customer trust linkage with customer happiness is likely plausible. Surprisingly, the linkage between customer happiness and customer trust has not been explored by hospitality research until most recently, hence:

H8

Customer happiness positively affects customer trust in the hotel brand.

2.3 The effects of intermediary CSR consequences on customer loyalty

As previously noted, this research considers customer loyalty as the ultimate consequence of CSR implementation in the context of hotels. Customer loyalty can be driven directly by CSR and via the priorly noted mix of the intermediary consequences of CSR, including customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness and customer trust in the hotel brand. Hotel marketing literature unveils a variety of studies that have confirmed the impact of the noted factors on customer loyalty. In this vein, for instance, Huang et al. (2019) asserted that positive customer experience generates customer loyalty to the hotel brand. Other researchers posited the effects of customer satisfaction on customer loyalty in e-commerce and in the hotel sector (Satti et al. 2020; Gautam et al. 2021). Furthermore, customer happiness was also documented in the literature as a customer loyalty driver, according to prior research (Kim et al. 2015). In addition, extant studies corroborated that customer trust in the hotel brand can positively affect customer loyalty in various contexts including hotel settings (Konu et al. 2020; Nim et al. 2022; Dogra and Kaushal 2023).

It is essential for the marketing and hospitality literature to evaluate whether the above-noted intermediary variables increase or reduce the effects of CSR on customer loyalty; therefore, in conjunction with H1, this research posits the following hypotheses:

H9

Positive customer experience engenders customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

H10

Customer satisfaction generates customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

H11

Customer happiness produces positive effects on customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

H12

Customer trust in the hotel brand engenders customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

Figure 1 represents a graphical interpretation of the posed hypotheses and the scheme of the theoretical model developed under this study.

Fig. 1
figure 1

Theoretical model

(Source: own elaboration)

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In the next section, we explicate the methodology for this research comprising data collection method and instrument essential to estimate the developed theoretical model and verify the posed hypotheses (Fig. 1).

3 Research methodology

3.1 Scales and questionnaire

A questionnaire designed for this study comprised 38 questions, including one filtering question to qualify study participants to continue participation in the study by filling in the survey form, four queries relevant to the variables of sample demographics, and 33 questions required for data collection to measure the indicators in the estimated theoretical measurement model.

The opening question was essential to select appropriate participants for the rest of the study and asked them if they had stayed in any hotel at least once during the last two years. The following four questions in the survey were aimed at collecting descriptive statistics of study participants’ age, gender, income level and size of the community where they currently dwell. The rest 33 questions were necessary to measure the indicators of their respective latent constructs in the estimated model (Fig. 1). We applied a 5-point Likert gradual scale from 1 - ‘completely disagree’ to ‘5 - ‘completely agree’, so the survey participants had the flexibility to express their attitudes in their response-making.

The construct of CSR perception was measured with the help of 8 items as suggested by El Akremi et al. (2018), later adapted for hotel settings by Latif et al. (2020). The customer experience factor variable encompassed five measurement scales adapted from Kuppelwieser and Klaus (2021). Five items essential to gauge customer satisfaction were based on the works from marketing literature (Wan et al. 2016; Hult et al. 2017). Scales pursuant to the customer trust model construct were sourced from Islam et al. (2021). Customer happiness scale items were adapted from Fatima et al. (2020)d ñez-Barriopedro et al. (2021). Finally, the questionnaire adopted five measurement items for the customer loyalty latent factor from Heinberg et al. (2016) and Cuesta-Valiño et al. (2022). Annex I exhibits a list of the above-delineated scales adapted for this research from the pertinent literature.

In order to check the developed survey form for possible inconsistencies and ensure the questions’ proper wording and overall understandability, we validated the questionnaire by completing a series of in-depth interviews with four university professors who specialise in tourism and hospitality and four marketing managers employed in the hotel sector. During these sessions, this research has also addressed a common bias method according to suggestions from Podsakoff et al. (2003) by warranting the survey questions’ wording conciseness and neutrality, using balanced 5-point Likert scales, and executing a pilot survey with participating experts.

3.2 Sample descriptive statistics

Grounded in the research purpose and objectives, this research has utilised a quantitative study methodology to determine the suitability of the developed CSR-loyalty framework in the realm of the hotel business. This study employed a CATI surveying approach with a questionnaire distribution made online. A sampling procedure entailed direct targeting and messaging the active members of travel-themed interest groups on Instagram and Facebook in a single Eastern European country during the last quarter of 2022. Direct messaging comprised communicating directly to 11,562 group members with an invitation to participate in the survey. The interested study participants received a link to complete an online questionnaire. The following manuscript sub-section delineates the data collection results and sample descriptive statistics received in this phase of research.

After the data collection and sample demographics analysis, this study used the PLS-SEM method for data analysis, including scale reliability evaluation, model construct validity verification, and research hypotheses testing. The section that follows delineates the outcomes of these procedures’ application.

Table 1 Sample descriptive statistics
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4 Results of the study

4.1 Model validity tests

The data analysis in this research has applied a popular SEM PLS approach to applying CFA and path analysis evaluation techniques to estimate the theoretical model and test the research hypotheses posed under this study (Fig. 1). We utilised SmartPLS 4.0 software as an instrument to execute the above-noted SEM PLS procedures. Routinely, a standard PLS approach to SEM requires the execution of the two stages for the estimated model computation. The first stage denotes a conventional PLS-SEM algorithm process to verify model indicator scales’ reliability, model latent constructs’ convergent and discriminant validity. In this vein, we ran a conventional PLS algorithm process with standardised outputs and supplementary settings of max n of iterations = 3000, stop criterion = 10(-7), and initial weights = 1.0. The second stage of the model estimation is relevant to the bootstrapping procedure. It is necessary to compute path coefficients and their p-values between independent and dependent latent variables in the model based on the sample size artificially increased by bootstrapping (Hair et al. 2022). Figure 2 depicts the graphical outcome of bootstrapping application procedure application.

Table 1 exhibits the outputs of applying the conventional PLS CFA algorithm to compute scales reliability and convergent validity. These results do not indicate presence of issues with convergent validity in the estimated measurement model (Table 2).

Table 2 Model convergent validity and scales reliability analysis*
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Fig. 2
figure 2

The outcomes of bootstrap procedure application on measurement model*

* — bootstrapped model computation settings of CFA and path analysis: 10,000 samples, parallel processing, fixed seed, two-tailed, the values inside the latents depict their adjusted R-square values.

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Sequentially, an analysis of heterotrait-monotrait ratios of correlations (HTMT) has not revealed any problems with discriminant validity as well in the measurement model (Table 3).

Table 3 Model discriminant validity evaluation*
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In summary, the completed tests indicated that the estimated measurement model suffices the requirements for scales’ reliability and model latent constructs’ convergent and discriminant validity.

4.2 Research hypotheses tests

The evidence of model validity made it eligible to implement the bootstrapping procedure (Fig. 2) and path analysis in the structural model to test the posed research hypotheses. Table 4 delineates the hypotheses evaluation results following the above-noted procedures’ application.

Table 4 Research hypotheses verification results
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Hypotheses testing has determined that CSR may directly influence customer loyalty to the hotel brand, as H1 is confirmed. Sequentially, CSR generates positive effects on customer experience, customer happiness, customer satisfaction, and customer trust in the hotel brand, as H2-H5 are confirmed. Then, the analysis determined the positive sequential effects existent in the chain linking customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness, and customer trust as H6-H8 are accepted accordingly.

Regarding the rest of the hypotheses, H10 and H11 are validated, implying that customer satisfaction and happiness positively affect customer loyalty to the hotel brand. Conversely, the attained results make it impossible to accept H9, denoting that customer experience does not positively influence customer satisfaction as the regression coefficient value in the linkage between these variables is negative (β9 = − 0.428, p-value9 = 0.000). Surprisingly, the results of the H12 testing do not indicate any significant influence of customer trust on customer loyalty, as this hypothesis is rejected (p-value12 = 0.065). Instead, our findings highlight that customer loyalty to the hotel brand is primarily driven by customer satisfaction and customer happiness, as this research outcome is supported by the corroboration of the pertinent hypotheses of H10 and H11, as noted earlier in this section.

4.3 Analysis of indirect effects in the model

The objectives of this research comprised the analysis of the specific indirect effects generated by CSR on customer loyalty through four intercessor construct variables (Fig. 1). Table 5 depicts the outcomes of the specific indirect effects occurring in the estimated mode. These outcomes shed more light on the complex interrelations in the conceptual model, starting from the antecedents (CSR) until the utter consequences of the studied phenomenon (customer loyalty).

Table 5 Model specific indirect effects
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Scrutinising indirect and total effects in the structural model provides grounds for additional testing of the research hypotheses. It makes it possible to specify the findings of the completed study more precisely. In this line, the indirect effects analysis shows that customer experience does not positively mediate the CSR effects on customer loyalty to the hotel brand. This result is confirmed as a specific indirect effect value in the chain of CSR ⇾ CE ⇾ CL is statistically significant, but its path coefficient has a negative value (indirect β1 = − 0.333, p-value1 = 0.000). It further supports rejecting the corresponding hypothesis of H9.

Next, as the mediating effects of customer satisfaction in the CSR ⇾ SAT ⇾ CL sequence have a positive regression coefficient value, which is statistically significant (indirect β2 = 0.111, p-value2 = 0.000), H10 can be utterly confirmed. Similarly, the analysis of customer happiness indirect effects in the CSR ⇾ CH ⇾ CL chain returned a positive and statistically significant path coefficient (indirect β3 = 0.092, p-value3 = 0.000). Therefore, the relevant hypothesis of H11 receives further support for its acceptance.

Finally, according to the other interesting result from indirect effects analysis, the mediator effect of customer trust in the CSR ⇾ CT ⇾ CL variables sequence was found positive but insignificant (indirect β4 = 0.018, p-value4 = 0.087). Hence, the corresponding hypothesis of H12 is further rejected following this additional verification confirming no presence of the effects of customer trust on customer loyalty to the hotel brand in the estimated model.

5 Conclusions

5.1 Discussion

The present study explored the direct impacts of CSR on generating customer loyalty to the hotel brand. This research has also investigated the mediated effects of CSR on loyalty stemming from intercessor factors of customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness and customer trust in the hotel brand. The purpose of this research precipitated the development of the conceptual framework and positing twelve research hypotheses.

Hypotheses testing has returned several findings that are significant for hotel marketing literature. In this vein, this study has confirmed the presence of CSR’s direct effect on customer loyalty. This finding supports prior research completed in various contexts, including the hotel sector (Jan et al. 2021). We agree with Latif et al. (2020), who posited that more customers now associate themselves with hotels that follow the CSR concept. Such inclination for affiliation may predispose and gradually lead to customer loyalty to CSR-driven businesses in the hotel sector (Moise et al. 2021).

As the completed research affirmed the positive CSR impact on customer loyalty, it was also determined that customer loyalty antecedents of customer experience, customer satisfaction, customer happiness and customer trust in the hotel brand are positively affected by CSR according to our findings. These results echo the prior research, which has established similar findings (Cuesta-Valiño et al. 2019; Lo 2020; Islam et al. 2021). Next, in accordance with the attained results, intermediary drivers in the relationship between CSR and loyalty of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty generate significant positive effects on customer loyalty. Prior research has also confirmed the actuality and statistical significance of these effects (Aksoy et al. 2015; Satti et al. 2020). In the domain of the customer happiness concept, this study aligns with the findings of the previous studies (e.g., de Azambuja et al. 2023) by asserting that happiness development goes beyond generating customer satisfaction solely and requires an extra effort from hotels to personalise their services, provide rewards to the guests and create an emotional connection with them. Consequently, this research indicates that customer happiness is a significant construction block for sculpting guest loyalty and implies a more contemporary approach to retaining customers with the hotel brand, whereas customer satisfaction alone may not suffice it.

However, our findings do not reveal the positive mediating effect of customer experience on customer loyalty to the hotel brand. Even though the model estimation results revealed a statistically significant linkage between these two variables, customer experience produces a negative direct effect on customer loyalty. This result is controversial to the extant body of literature, which confirmed the presence of a positive link between customer experience and loyalty (Huang et al. 2019). Simultaneously, hotel marketing literature has noted customer experience as a multifaceted notion comprising human emotions, among other dimensions (Kim and So 2022). In addition, several researchers have indicated that in contrast with positive outcomes, customer experience with a product or service may engender negative emotions that sequentially mitigate customer loyalty (Brun et al. 2017). Thus, we argue that the linkage between customer experience and loyalty requires customer satisfaction as a mediator variable which provides a precise evaluation of the perceived experience and, hence, as priorly noted, customer experience alone cannot ensure loyalty to the hotel brand.

Finally, unlike the findings reported by Paparoidamis et al. (2019), Iglesias et al. (2020), Konu et al. (2020) and Min et al. (2023), the results of the accomplished study have not revealed evidence of customer trust effects on customer loyalty. This unanticipated finding implies that customer trust may not suffice in shaping customer loyalty as a behavioural act (Ulaga and Eggert 2006). This controversial research outcome indicates the presence of other latent mediating factors in the linkage between trust and loyalty. In this line, for instance, prior literature noted the significance of the perceived service product value through special pricing, promotions and loyalty programs (Paulose and Shakeel 2022). Thereby, hotel product value perception can be a mediating variable missing in a relationship between customer trust and loyalty. Other considerations relevant to competition, changes in guests’ preferences, and external factors may also influence a negative transformation of the guests’ loyalty to the hotel brand they trust (Osti and Nava 2020).

5.2 Implications for theory and practice

This study has significant implications for CSR theoretical provisions and practical CSR strategies development and implementation in hotel settings. It advances knowledge by exploring various conceptual variables mediating the relationship between perceived CSR and customer loyalty in the hotel industry. These variables and their mediating effects have received limited attention in the extant literature examining CSR effects on customer loyalty in the hotel context. Therefore, this study represents value to the field as it enriches comprehension of the underlying mechanism through which CSR influences customer loyalty, involving factors such as customer experience, happiness, satisfaction and trust. The present research outcomes are of particular interest to hotel marketing researchers and managers because they substantiate that CSR concept application positively influences its various consequences resulting in eliciting hotel guest loyalty which is a valuable asset for organisational and business performance improvement.

The findings of this study align with extant conceptual models that recognise the indirect nature of the link between CSR and customer loyalty. However, this study not just adheres to but goes beyond the prior literature by identifying additional mediating factors that indirectly connect these concepts. The completed research and the developed model further elucidate the relationship between CSR and customer loyalty by incorporating the construct variables of customer experience and customer happiness, previously overlooked in the existing research.

Overall, this study fills a crucial gap in the hotel marketing literature, shedding light on the multifaceted relationship between CSR and customer loyalty in the hotel sector. This research not only deepens the understanding of these concepts from the theoretical perspective but also provides valuable insights for hotel managers seeking to improve customer loyalty through effective CSR strategy execution. In this vein, managers should pay attention to improvements in the customer experience, customer happiness, satisfaction and customer trust in their hotel brand.

Concerning other managerial implications stemming from the completed research, the received findings indicate that, in general, CSR initiatives enable hotels to achieve positive results for their businesses. According to our findings, integrating CSR practices in hotel management has multifaceted benefits that will lead to improvements in customer loyalty. By developing and implementing CSR, hotels improve and upgrade their relationships with customers and contribute to the well-being of society and the environment. Hotel management should pay extra attention and dedicate time and resources to CSR strategies development and execution as they positively influence customer experience, customer happiness, and customer trust. Additionally, by planning and implementing their CSR strategies, hotels can position themselves as socially caring organisations that prioritise the well-being of their customers and the broader community at their tourist destination. Such activities will benefit the hotel’s brand image and reputation in the long term.

5.3 Limitations and future research

The completed study is not without various limitations. First, this research data was collected in one European country, limiting the generalisability of the findings. Future researchers may examine a broader range of countries, cultures, hotel types and classes to resolve a noted issue with generalisability and better explain the CSR impact on customer loyalty.

Second, it would be beneficial for future studies to explore the role of additional variables in the linkage between CSR and loyalty, such as customer feedback expressed in the online guest reviews and customer engagement in the hotel’s CSR initiatives. Also, future researchers may examine and measure the effects of customer loyalty on organisational and business performance as the utter consequences of CSR concept implementation. By including these variables, a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of customer loyalty improvement through CSR strategy implementation can be attained.

Third, this study has not found evidence for the influence of customer trust on customer loyalty. As noted above, it points to the possible moderator variable relevant to customers’ perception of the hotel offer value unaddressed in this study. Hotel marketing literature can benefit from examining the moderation effect of hotel product value on the linkage between trust and loyalty. In this line, we advise future researchers to address this issue in their respective studies.

Finally, although customer satisfaction was determined to influence customer loyalty, perceived CSR’s positive effects on customer satisfaction were not confirmed. Moreover, another controversial finding from our study denotes that customer experience does not impact customer loyalty. Consequently, we recommend that future research further explore the role of customer experience in generating loyalty within comparable conceptual models. In the range of the proposed topics for future research, this particular theme is the most significant for CSR theory and practice. Addressing this research question will make it possible to reach more robust conclusions regarding the role of customer experience in the linkage between CSR and customer loyalty to the hotel brand.

5.4 Conclusion

The completed research has examined CSR’s influence on guest loyalty in hotel settings. Data collection for this study was completed through an online survey targeting customers in the social media user groups dedicated to travel, and the structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method comprising CFA and path analysis was employed for the data analysis, including model estimation and research hypotheses testing. The completed research contributes to understanding CSR’s impact on customer loyalty within the hotel industry from the perspectives of theory and practice. Theoretical implications improve the knowledge of the underlying mechanism by which CSR affects customer loyalty through variables such as customer experience, customer satisfaction, corporate image, and customer trust. The findings of this research contribute to the extant body of hotel marketing literature in the field of CSR and its consequences examination. Concluding, this study bridges the gap between theory and practice by shedding more light on the positive CSR effects on customer loyalty in the hotel sector. Also, this research expands a theoretical conception of CSR benefits. It also provides practical guidance for hotel managers to leverage CSR activities and improve customer loyalty to the hotel brands under their responsibility.