Affinity-seeking strategies of homestay hosts: Scale development and validation

Homestay hosts expend considerable social efforts to ensure that guests like their host and homestay. Despite the process of generating affinity for the hosts is central to social exchanges in homestays, there still lacks a valid scale to measure the affinity-seeking strategies of hosts. To address this gap, this study uses multi-step mixed methods to develop a measurement scale for the affinity-seeking strategies of homestay hosts. A formative hierarchical component model of the affinity-seeking strategies of hosts is proposed in this study. Four first-order formative indicators are validated, namely, presenting personal attractiveness, showing friendly attitudes, facilitating enjoyment and social contact, and providing service and help. Furthermore, the stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model is used to validate the second-order formative constructs. The results show that the affinity-seeking strategies of homestay hosts positively affect guests' emotional value and intention to cooperate with hosts. The findings contribute to a measurable definition of hosts’ affinity in the context of homestays.