Event and relationship marketing strategies in the post-COVID Bali tourism industry: Exploring the mediating effect of satisfaction on loyalty

https://doi.org/10.35912/ijfam.v7i3.2776
Published: Dec 3, 2025

Abstract:

Purpose: This study investigates how event marketing and relationship marketing influence customer loyalty in Bali’s tourism industry during the post-COVID recovery period. Satisfaction is tested as a mediating variable to explore the mechanism through which these marketing strategies impact loyalty.

Methods: A quantitative research design was used with a survey distributed to 200 tourists who participated in tourism-related events in Bali. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects between variables, using satisfaction as a mediator.

Results: The results indicate that both event marketing and relationship marketing significantly and positively affect customer satisfaction and loyalty. Satisfaction was found to partially mediate the relationship between marketing strategies and loyalty, confirming its strategic role in post-crisis recovery efforts.

Conclusion: Strategic marketing through events and long-term relationships contributes to the enhancement of tourist loyalty, with satisfaction acting as a critical driver. The findings highlight the importance of personalized and memorable experiences in rebuilding tourism post-pandemic.

Limitations: The study is limited to event-based tourists in Bali and may not be generalizable to other sectors or regions.

Contribution: This study contributes empirical evidence on the integrated effects of event marketing and relationship marketing on loyalty in a post-crisis tourism context. By confirming satisfaction as a partial mediator, the research strengthens theoretical understanding of experiential and relational strategies in hospitality marketing and offers practical insights for tourism businesses seeking to improve loyalty through customer-centered experiences.

Keywords:
1. Bali Tourism
2. Customer Loyalty
3. Customer Satisfaction
4. Event Marketing
5. Hospitality Marketing
6. Relationship Marketing
Authors:
1 . Ni Made Kiki Mahendri
UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2 . Widhy Tri Astuti
UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta, Indonesia
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How to Cite
Mahendri, N. M. K., & Astuti, W. T. (2025). Event and relationship marketing strategies in the post-COVID Bali tourism industry: Exploring the mediating effect of satisfaction on loyalty. International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 7(3), 371–385. https://doi.org/10.35912/ijfam.v7i3.2776
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Issue & Section
Vol. 7 No. 3 (2025): December
Articles
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Author Biography

Ni Made Kiki Mahendri, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Widhy Tri Astuti, S.E., M.Si. (co-author).

We would like to request that only the following email be listed as the corresponding contact:

widi.triastuti@upnyk.ac.id

References

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    Albarq, A. N. (2023). The impact of CKM and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty in Saudi banking sector: The mediating role of customer trust. Administrative Sciences, 13(3), 90. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13030090

    Bougie, R., & Sekaran, U. (2019). Research Methods For Business: A Skill Building Approach: John Wiley & Sons.

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    Gerald, E., Obianuju, A., & Chukwunonso, N. (2020). Strategic Agility And Performance Of Small And Medium Enterprises In The Phase Of Covid-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 2(1), 41-50. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/ijfam.v2i1.163

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    Nuraeni, L., & Hadita. (2022). The Effect Of Event Marketing On Purchase Decisions Through Purchase Interest In Tokopedia Marketplace (Case Study On Tokopedia Event Photocard Program). Dinasti International Journal of Economics, Finance & Accounting, 3(4), 360-369. doi:https://doi.org/10.38035/dijefa.v3i4.1397

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    Setyawan, A. A., & Saputra, B. W. (2024). Impact Of Marketing Events On Customer Satisfaction Mediated By Digital Marketing And Moderate Green Marketing On MSMEs In Banyumas District. Jurnal Riset Ekonomi Manajemen (REKOMEN), 7(2), 339-356. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.31002/rekomen.v7i2.1656

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    Suryawan, T. G. A. W. K., Purwati, N. K. E., Handayani, M. M., & Meryawan, I. W. (2024). Pengaruh Digital Marketing dan Customer Relationship Marketing terhadap Customer Loyalty pada Laughing Buddha Bar Ubud. Entrepreneur: Jurnal Bisnis Manajemen dan Kewirausahaan, 5(2), 61-73.

    Trimurti, C. P., & Utama, I. (2021). Bali Tourism Destination Structural Loyalty Model From Consumer Behavior Perspective. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(4), 494-505. doi:https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i4.531

    Wisnawa, I. M. B., Subadra, I. N., Kartimin, I. W., Aristana, I. N., Arsawan, I. W., & Hartini, N. M. (2023). Analyzing Tourism Brand Loyalty And E-Marketing Development In Bali, Indonesia. Qubahan Academic Journal, 3(4), 314-331. doi:https://doi.org/10.58429/qaj.v3n4a190

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  2. Akbar, M. A., Siregar, A. R., & Asnawi, A. (2024). The Effects of Relationship Marketing On Customer Loyalty Through Customer Retention In Layer Feed Customers in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences, 13(3), 378-389. doi:https://doi.org/10.47278/journal.ijab/2024.129
  3. Alajarmeh, N. S., Aityassine, F. L. Y., Alzoubi, A. E., Al-Fugaha, Z. N. A., Zighan, S. M., Alzyoud, M., . . . Al-Adamat, A. M. (2024). The Impact of Relationship Marketing on the Customer Loyalty. In A. M. A. Musleh Al-Sartawi, A. S. Aydiner, & M. Kanan (Eds.), Business Analytical Capabilities and Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Analytics: Applications and Challenges in the Digital Era, Volume 1 (pp. 419-432). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
  4. Albarq, A. N. (2023). The impact of CKM and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty in Saudi banking sector: The mediating role of customer trust. Administrative Sciences, 13(3), 90. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci13030090
  5. Bougie, R., & Sekaran, U. (2019). Research Methods For Business: A Skill Building Approach: John Wiley & Sons.
  6. Chen, A. H., & Wu, R. Y. (2022). Mediating Effect Of Brand Image And Satisfaction On Loyalty Through Experiential Marketing: A Case Study Of A Sugar Heritage Destination. Sustainability, 14(12), 7122. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127122
  7. Gerald, E., Obianuju, A., & Chukwunonso, N. (2020). Strategic Agility And Performance Of Small And Medium Enterprises In The Phase Of Covid-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Financial, Accounting, and Management, 2(1), 41-50. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/ijfam.v2i1.163
  8. Ghozali, I. (2018). Aplikasi Analisis Multivariete Dengan Program IBM SPSS 23: Badan Penerbit Universitas Diponegoro.
  9. Goodman, J. A. (2014). Customer Experience 3.0: High-profit Strategies in the Age of Techno Service: Amacom.
  10. Hair, J., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).
  11. Hidayat, K., & Idrus, M. I. (2023). The effect of relationship marketing towards switching barrier, customer satisfaction, and customer trust on bank customers. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 12(1), 29. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00270-7
  12. Japutra, A., Ekinci, Y., & Simkin, L. (2014). Exploring brand attachment, its determinants and outcomes. Journal of Strategic Marketing, 22(7), 616-630. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2014.914062
  13. Jeong, Y., & Kim, S. (2020). A study of event quality, destination image, perceived value, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty among sport tourists. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 32(4), 940-960.
  14. Kim, Y.-K., & Sullivan, P. (2019). Emotional branding speaks to consumers’ heart: the case of fashion brands. Fashion and textiles, 6(1), 1-16.
  15. Kirillova, T., & Zyk, E. (2023). Consumer Loyalty: A Critical Analysis Of Approaches Towards Definition. Business and Service Technologies, 9(2), 76-89. doi:https://doi.org/10.18413/2408-9346-2023-9-2-0-7
  16. Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2016). A Framework For Marketing Management (6/E): Pearson Education Limited.
  17. Lungu, M. F. (2020). The Influence Of Strategic Agility On Firm Performance. Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, 14(1), 102-110. doi:https://doi.org/10.2478/picbe-2020-0011
  18. Nashih, M., Al Idrus, S., & Prajawati, M. I. (2024). The Mediating Role Of Customer Satisfaction On The Influence Of Service Quality And Relationship Marketing On Customer Loyalty. Dialektika: Jurnal Ekonomi dan Ilmu Sosial, 9(1), 50-68. doi:https://doi.org/10.36636/dialektika.v9i1.3538
  19. Nuraeni, L., & Hadita. (2022). The Effect Of Event Marketing On Purchase Decisions Through Purchase Interest In Tokopedia Marketplace (Case Study On Tokopedia Event Photocard Program). Dinasti International Journal of Economics, Finance & Accounting, 3(4), 360-369. doi:https://doi.org/10.38035/dijefa.v3i4.1397
  20. Oliver, R. L. (2010). Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer: M.E. Sharpe.
  21. Oliver, R. L. (2014). Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer: A behavioral perspective on the consumer (2nd ed.): Routledge.
  22. Santi Diwyarthi, N. D. M., Citrawati, L. P., Darmiati, M., Mas Wiartha, N. G., Kusumarini, I., Adi Pratama, I. W., & Jata, I. W. (2024). The Influence of Marketing Strategy, Accessibility, and Tourism Support Infrastructure on Foreign Tourist Satisfaction in Bali, Indonesia. West Science Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(08), 1538-1549. doi:https://doi.org/10.58812/wsis.v2i08.1200
  23. Setiawan, R., Wibisono, D., & Purwanegara, M. S. (2022). Defining event marketing as engagement-driven marketing communication. Gadjah Mada International Journal of Business, 24(2), 151-177.
  24. Setyawan, A. A., & Saputra, B. W. (2024). Impact Of Marketing Events On Customer Satisfaction Mediated By Digital Marketing And Moderate Green Marketing On MSMEs In Banyumas District. Jurnal Riset Ekonomi Manajemen (REKOMEN), 7(2), 339-356. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.31002/rekomen.v7i2.1656
  25. Supriyanto, A., Wiyono, B. B., & Burhanuddin, B. (2021). Effects of service quality and customer satisfaction on loyalty of bank customers. Cogent Business & Management, 8(1), 1937847. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2021.1937847
  26. Suryawan, T. G. A. W. K., Purwati, N. K. E., Handayani, M. M., & Meryawan, I. W. (2024). Pengaruh Digital Marketing dan Customer Relationship Marketing terhadap Customer Loyalty pada Laughing Buddha Bar Ubud. Entrepreneur: Jurnal Bisnis Manajemen dan Kewirausahaan, 5(2), 61-73.
  27. Trimurti, C. P., & Utama, I. (2021). Bali Tourism Destination Structural Loyalty Model From Consumer Behavior Perspective. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education (TURCOMAT), 12(4), 494-505. doi:https://doi.org/10.17762/turcomat.v12i4.531
  28. Wisnawa, I. M. B., Subadra, I. N., Kartimin, I. W., Aristana, I. N., Arsawan, I. W., & Hartini, N. M. (2023). Analyzing Tourism Brand Loyalty And E-Marketing Development In Bali, Indonesia. Qubahan Academic Journal, 3(4), 314-331. doi:https://doi.org/10.58429/qaj.v3n4a190