Journal of Business on Hospitality and Tourism
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025): June 2025

Beyond Transactions: How Relational Capital Drives Brand Loyalty in Bali’s Tourism SMEs

Diwyani, Ni Made Sthita Prajnasya (Unknown)
Agustina, Ni Ketut Wiwiek (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
14 Jan 2026

Abstract

In the post-pandemic tourism landscape, travel agencies must rebuild customer loyalty through relational strategies. This study examines the direct effects of customer engagement and brand trust on brand loyalty among 289 customers of a Bali-based travel agency. Using multiple linear regression in SPSS 25, findings confirm that both customer engagement (β = 0.396, p < 0.001) and brand trust (β = 0.453, p < 0.001) significantly and positively influence brand loyalty, with the model explaining 68% of variance (R² = 0.680). Simultaneously, the two predictors exert a strong joint effect (F = 303.306, p < 0.001). The results affirm that even in an era of digital self-booking, interpersonal trust and emotional engagement remain critical drivers of loyalty in tourism intermediaries. Strategic recommendations include investing in personalized communication, transparent service recovery, and consistent brand delivery to strengthen relational equity.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jbhost

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

JBHOST aims at initiating and stimulating high-impact and innovative research relevant for academics and practitioners within the hospitality and tourism industries. The audience of this publication primarily comprises academics, graduate students, practitioners and all others interested in ...