Unveiling the power of storytelling and co-design: Enhancing customer value in cultural boutique hotels

Abstract

Cultural heritage tourism has created opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises in the hospitality industry, including cultural boutique hotels that offer visitors personalized experiences around local arts and culture. To identify effective marketing strategies for these hotels, a study surveyed 300 tourists who stayed at Thai cultural boutique hotels. The study used a synthesis model with two antecedent factors (storytelling and co-design) and one impact factor (customer value), with hedonism ties as an intervention factor. The results indicated that both antecedent factors positively affected hedonism ties, which positively impacted customer value. The study also found that two target segments played a crucial role in determining the relationship between co-design and hedonism ties. By adopting marketing strategies based on these findings, cultural boutique hotels can attract and retain customers while contributing to the growth of cultural heritage tourism.