The Effect of COVID-19 on hotel booking intentions: Investigating the roles of message appeal type and brand loyalty

The unprecedented global health concerns pertaining to COVID-19 have impacted the hotel industry. In order to ameliorate such concerns, hotels are sending out marketing communication messages. However, whether the messages effectively impact hotel consumers’ behaviors is still unknown. To fill this research gap, this study empirically tested the effect that the perceived severity of COVID-19 (PSC) has on hotel booking intentions as well as the roles of message appeal type (rational vs. emotional) and brand loyalty. The data was collected using a scenario-based online survey (n = 311) and analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression. The rational appeal type had a greater positive influence on hotel booking intentions, which suggests that it is preferable for COVID-19 related messages. The results also indicated that PSC had a negative influence on booking intentions for the low loyalty group, and brand loyalty still played a key role even amidst the COVID-19 crisis. •The perceived severity of COVID-19 negatively influences hotel booking intentions when the level of brand loyalty is low.•In the COVID-19 context, the rational appeal type message has a greater positive influence on hotel booking intentions.•Brand loyalty buffers the negative effect of the perceived severity of COVID-19 and makes the message appeal type irrelevant.•Brand loyalty moderates the interaction between the perceived severity of COVID-19 and the message appeal type.