The influence of negative travel-related experience on tourist’s brand loyalty

Perceptions of negative events related to service disruptions, negative consumer associations with other brand users, or business activities not in line with consumer ethical standards can lead consumers to abandon and change a brand. Focusing on a low-cost airline company, the study analyses how negative events can affect brand loyalty by considering the mediating effect of consumers’ psychological characteristics in terms of difficulty in choosing between alternatives (choice difficulty) and tendency to switch brands (brand switcher). The paper tests two hypotheses by administering a structured questionnaire to a sample of 260 tourists and shows that: (1) brand switcher negatively mediates the relationship between negative events and brand loyalty; (2) choice difficulty positively mediates the relationship between negative events and brand loyalty. The findings carry theoretical and managerial implications and confirms the value of communication strategies in increasing brand loyalty.