Applicability of different emotional constructs in the hospitality industry

This paper investigates the area of emotional value by using the critical incident study method. Although many studies have investigated the importance of emotion in the hospitality industry, there has been a paucity of research that investigated what drivers or incidents make customers experience emotions. The main purpose of this study is to identify the critical incidents that lead to different emotional responses in a hotel setting. The specific objectives of this research are (a) to identify emotions that customers experience during their hotel stays, and (b) to identify critical incidents that lead to these emotional experiences. This information can then be given to hospitality executives so strategies and tactics can be developed to (a) prevent incidents that cause negative emotions and (b) "stage" incidents to develop positive emotions. The research will provide a framework not only for understanding meanings of emotion, but also for identifying critical incidents that create emotions.