Abstract
The present study's purpose is to examine the relationships between customer-employee interaction (CEI), optimal distinctiveness (OD), perceived fairness (PF), functional quality (FQ), and customer engagement behaviour (CEB) in the hotel industry in Vietnam. This present study applied a quantitative design and surveyed questionnaires to the hotel. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed and 389 questionnaires were received as valid responses from the hotel customers. The partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used for hypothesis testing as a unique tool for analysis. The results of the study identified that CEI, PF, and OD significantly impact FQ and CEB, and finally, FQ significantly impacts CEB. The salient research outcomes may help the hotel industry to identify the role of CEB as an organisational goal and a success factor. The role of customer engagement represents a new understanding and an insight into the hotel and customer relationships.