Forming guests’ loyalty as a factor of sustainable hotel enterprise development (by the example of small hotels)

In modern economic conditions of the tourism and hospitality sphere development the increasing attention is paid to an assessment of consumer behavior as competitiveness hotels indicator. The number of small hotels is gradually increased. Their effective development is impossible without studying of potential clients’ needs. The consumer behavior and, particularly, guests’ loyalty act as an object of the research. The article is focused on the influence of customer loyalty on small hotels development. Studying the preferences of consumers of hotel services, identification of groups of the factors affecting the customer loyalty and customer needs when visiting those or other accommodation establishments are the theoretical task of the article. The article analyzes the theoretical and practical aspects of formation of motivation of potential and actual customers of mini-hotels, emphasiz- es the role of marketing management of small accommodation facilities. On the basis of the conducted survey the groups of customers’ preferences of small hotels have been identified. The findings of the survey revealed the customers’ main motives determining the choice of a hotel. Favorable living conditions, pleasant psychological climate of hotels, the level of service are the consumer preferences when choosing a small hotel. Empirical basics of the article consist in generalization of the major factors of sustainable small hotels development as one of the forms of hotel business development and increase of tourism attraction of the region.