Generation of customer engagement by hotel service atmosphere: The mediating role of flow experience

Hotel services have an integrated and complex structure that contains human relations and physical ambiance. By combining the Servicescape and Service Theater into the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, this study aims to investigate how hotel service atmosphere affects customer engagement through flow experience in the context of hotel. Using the online survey approach, this study collected 569 valid responses on Tencent survey platform. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the proposed model. The results exhibited that service atmosphere elements (e.g., Ambience, Public area design, Customers’ interaction with staff and others) -except Guest room design-affect customers’ flow experience and engagement (including cognitive, emotional and behavioral dimensions). Flow plays a mediator role in most atmospheric-engagement relationships. The findings particularly provide guidance to hotel managers in optimizing the atmospheric factors of the public area and improving flow experiences by tailoring services to individual guest preferences and fostering meaningful interaction opportunities throughout the stay to promote customer engagement. The present study contributes to the hospitality literature in this respect.