The Effect of Consumer Perception of Hotel ESG Activities on Corporate Trust and Loyalty

This study aims to systematically analyze how hotels' ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management activities impact customer trust and loyalty, and to provide practical implications based on the findings. The research involved a survey of customers who have experienced staying at one of four domestic hotel companies practicing ESG management, with 221 valid responses used for analysis. The research model was designed to identify the impact of ESG management activities on customer loyalty, mediated by corporate trust. The variables included Environment(E), Social(S), Governance(G), corporate trust, and customer loyalty. The analysis methods used were frequency, reliability, factor, and regression analysis by SPSS v.23 and AMOS v.23. The research results are as follows: First, the environmental(E) and social(S) aspects of ESG management activities had a significant positive impact on corporate trust, while the governance(G) aspect did not have a significant impact. Second, the environmental(E) aspect had a significant positive effect on customer loyalty, whereas the social(S) and governance(G) aspects did not. Third, corporate trust partially mediated the relationship between the environmental(E) and governance(G) aspects of ESG management activities and customer loyalty, while it fully mediated the relationship between the social(S) aspect and customer loyalty. The implications for hotel companies are as follows: Hotel companies should focus on environmental protection, social responsibility, and transparent governance to build customer loyalty and trust. Establishing an ethical image and effectively communicating ESG initiatives are key strategies for long-term success. This study offers valuable insights for sustainable growth in the hotel industry and contributes to academic research on the impact of ESG practices.