Phisunt Tinakhat, Kaedsiri Jaroenwisan, and Wongladda Weerapaiboon

Abstract: This study aims to analyse service design currently undertaken by luxury chain beach hotels in the Andaman Coast of Thailand to formulate a new normal service experience model. Researchers adopted a qualitative methodology by conducting in-depth interviews with 15 hotel managers and analysed the data into thematic content. Results show that new normal service designs currently undertaken by luxury chain hotels in Andaman Coast of Thailand to create customer experience are Servicescape (S), Hygiene (H), Up-to-date information (U), Technology and innovation (T), and Staff awareness (S), which is called the “SHUTS Model”. The study implications include assisting academics with variables to formulate hotel strategies in other areas or contexts, while managerial guidelines can help hotel managers to rejuvenate their businesses as the effects of the pandemic ease off.

Keywords: Service design, customer experience, luxury chain beach hotel, Andaman coast of Thailand, COVID-19