Investigating the Impacts of Place Atmosphere on Place Attachment and Loyalty: The Mediation Effects of Place Image

Abstract

This study examines the effects of place atmosphere on place attachment and loyalty, considering the mediating role of place image. This study employs a structured questionnaire methodology, dividing the instrument into five sections: place atmosphere, place attachment, cognitive image, affective image, and loyalty, as the basis for questionnaire design. The measurement of each unit within the questionnaire adopts a Likert five-point scale, with 258 valid questionnaires collected from coffee shop customers. The analysis encompassed descriptive statistics, reliability and validity assessments, goodness-of-fit, and hypothesis testing. The empirical findings revealed the following: (1) Place atmosphere positively influences place attachment. (2) Place attachment positively affects place image. (3) Place image had a positive impact on loyalty. (4) Place image acted as a full mediator in the relationship. Furthermore, the study findings reveal that place attachment does not directly impact loyalty, and place image acts as a complete mediator. This differs from the commonly perceived outcomes; hence, managers should emphasize the establishment’s image creation.