Doctoral Thesis Abstract 
Analysis of an Effective Differenciation Model Based on Optimization of Customer Loyalty in the Tourist Sector.
Author: Agustín Carrilero Castillo
Directed by: Daniel Palacios Marqués, PH.D. Professor, Department of Management, Universidad Politécnica of Valencia; Mª Pilar Conesa García, PH.D. Professor, Department of Management, Universidad Politécnica of Valencia.
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     Relationships represent the cornerstone in a sector like tourism, where interactions or marketingpoints between the company and its clients are many and complex (Gummesson, 1991). Large tourist corporations that belong to networks of alliances with subsidiaries, franchises, business partners and competitors, as well as small and medium tourist enterprises urgently need to reach partnership and /or association agreements in order to survive in an increasingly competitive environment. However, the sector's current situation indicates that the majority of tourist companies are not yet fully committed to the new philosophy of relationship-based marketing and that they only apply certain tactical aspects of primary relationships, without building and developing a network of secondary relationships that would enhance their offer of holistic services. (Iglesias, 2003)  
     This situation makes companies in the tourist sector consider a shift of strategy in order to reach greater competitiveness.
Considering the companies of the tourist sector to be studied in this research paper, ICTs play a decisive role as a key success factor in the hotel sector today (Claver, Molina and Pereira, 2006) and are becoming a vital resource for the development of hotel business. These technologies can offer significant advantages for the hotel management from several points of view: operational, practical and strategic (Buhalis and Main, 1998).
     Facing this problem, this research paper intends to analyze whether a customer-based strategy in hotels grants the customer a higher perceived value and at the same time a greater satisfaction, commitment and loyalty. This would ensure long-term relationships with customers, as they would get a greater value, thus allowing the hotel achieve a competitive advantage that would enhance its prospects in today´s competitive environment.
     Therefore, the empirical study will attempt to answer the following questions:
     1 .- Does the quality of offers on the Internet (through greater customization) and multi-channel offer (on-line and off-line) have an impact on the value perceived by the customer?
     2.- Does a customer-based management (supported by relationship-based marketing and the use of new technologies (internet)) ensure the customer a higher perceived value?
     3 .- Does a hotel that applies customer-based management achieve greater customer loyalty?
     4 .- Does higher perceived value influence customer satisfaction and loyalty to the hotel?
     5 .- Do switching costs contribute to greater customer loyalty to the hotel?
     The main objective of this research paper is to further study the impact the implementation of a customer-based strategy in hotels may have on clients and provide a theoretical vision to support the first interpretations of this new management philosophy for the future development of the entrepreneurship.