Consumer response to diversity and inclusion initiatives in hospitality: role of brand integrity and materialism

Abstract

In the contemporary hospitality sector, fostering diversity and inclusion transcends a mere trend, evolving into a strategic necessity to effectively accommodate the increasingly heterogeneous profile of visitors. Therefore, it becomes imperative to examine the consequential effect of marketing promotions featuring organizations’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments on consumers’ perceptions and evaluations. Through two experiments, this research investigates the impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives within the hospitality sector on consumer attitudes. Study 1 examines the effect of DEI initiatives on brand attitude, and further inspects its underlying mechanism- brand integrity in the context of a fictitious brand. Study 2 further advances the research with a real-world hospitality brand and proposes the moderating role of consumer materialism. The study contributes to the hospitality literature, DEI, and consumer behavior, offering actionable insights for hospitality brands seeking to enhance their competitiveness in an increasingly diverse marketplace.