Customer loyalty: a review and future directions with a special focus on the hospitality industry

Purpose - This article aims to provide a summary review of what is already known about customer loyalty and identifies some emerging issues that play an important role in it. As a result of dramatic changes in the marketplace and in consumers' connections with the hospitality industry, researchers and practitioners are keen to understand the factors that underpin customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach - By synthesizing extant customer loyalty literature, this article seeks further understanding of loyalty and offers priorities for ongoing loyalty research. Findings - Using conceptual models, this study provides a framework designed to extend the understanding of customer loyalty and the impact of the evolving role of engaged customers. Practical implications - Companies are advised to create emotionally engaged, loyal brand ambassadors by focusing on emerging areas, such as customer engagement, brand citizenship behaviors, mass personalization, employee engagement, brand ambassadors (both employees and customers), co-creation of value, co-design, co-consumption and rapport between customers and employees. Originality/value - This article crafts a conceptual framework for customer loyalty and identifies those factors that influence its development in the service industry with a special focus on the hospitality industry.