Bridging the gap between branding and sustainability by fostering brand credibility and brand attachment in travellers’ hotel choice Nadzirah Rosli and Norbani Che Ha University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Ezlika M. Ghazali Department of Marketing, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Abstract Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the effects of hotels’ brand attributes on consumers’ (patrons’ and guests’) by fostering brand credibility and brand attachment towards the propensity of word-of-mouth. The study uses the signaling theory to assess the relationships among the constructs. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopts partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach to validate the research model and the research hypotheses. To test the hypotheses, 474 travellers in Malaysia were recruited. Findings – The empirical results reveal that hotel attributes have direct influence on brand credibility and brand attachment. Similarly, brand credibility has direct influence on brand attachment, while brand attachment also has direct influence on word-of-mouth. Consumers’ brand credibility partially mediates the relationship between hotel attributes and brand attachment. Likewise, consumer’s brand attachment also partially mediates the relationship between hotel attributes and word-of-mouth. Last but not least, brand credibility and brand attachment sequentially mediate the relationship between hotel attributes and word-of-mouth. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed together with its limitation and future research direction. Originality/value – First, in terms of measures, brand attachment construct is operationalised as a formative second-order construct, with three reflective variables (brand passion, self-brand connection and brand affection) as the first-order constructs. In addition, brand credibility is also operationalised as a formative second-order construct, with three reflective variables (expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness) as the first-order constructs. On the other hand, hotel attributes construct is operationalised formatively as a higher-order abstraction of three categories of hotel facilities, which were also operationalised formatively (essential, culture compliant and in-room facilities). Second, this paper offers new insight into how brand credibility and brand attachment influence the relationship between hotel attributes and word-of-mouth. In a sustainability era, dissemination of complete and correct information is vital, to ensure consumers’ acceptance (e.g. likelihood to recommend to others). Thus, it is suggested that hotel managers to pay close attention to the role of brand credibility and brand attachment in tourists’ hotel choice, to secure sustainable brand. Keywords Hotel attributes, Brand attachment, Hotel, Brand credibility, Word-of-mouth, Muslim travellers, Sustainability Paper type Research paper 1. Introduction In the twenty- first century, sustainability has become mainstream issue, though it have been preoccupying attention of the policymakers for few decades (Chen, 2010). Holistic transformation BL 32,4 308 Received 31 March 2019 Revised 20 June 2019 Accepted 11 July 2019 The Bottom Line Vol. 32 No. 4, 2019 pp. 308-339 © Emerald Publishing Limited 0888-045X DOI 10.1108/BL-03-2019-0078 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/0888-045X.htm