BRAND AUTHENTICITY AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN EDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between components of brand authenticityand customer loyalty within the hospitality industry in Edo State, Nigeria. Adopting a cross-sectional survey research design, data were collected from a sample of 138 hotel customers selectedfrom a population of 210 using the Taro Yamane formula and simple random sampling. Astructured questionnaire was used to gather data measured on a five-point Likert scale. It wasvalidated for content and face validity and tested for reliability using the test-retest method. Datawere analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis. The findingsrevealed that brand message consistency (β = 0.165, p = 0.008), perceived customer value (β =0.282, p = 0.000), brand transparency (β = 0.394, p = 0.000), and brand experience (β = 0.162, p =0.040) all have significant positive effects on customer loyalty. The study concludes that brandauthenticity is a critical driver of customer loyalty in the hospitality sector. It recommends that hoteloperators should focus on consistent brand messaging, delivering customer value, enhancingtransparency, and improving customer experiences to build lasting customer relationships andsustain competitive advantage.