Guest Theft in Hospitality Businesses: Sample of Kuşadası

Guest theft, which is among the negative customer behaviours, has significant effects on businesses, employees and other consumers. In this context, the aim of the research is to reveal the processes related to guest theft in hospitality businesses. In the research, semi-structured interview technique, one of the qualitative research methods, was used because it allows for an in-depth examination of the subject. The population of the research consists of housekeeping and front office department employees working in 5-star hospitality businesses operating in Kuşadası. In this regard, interviews were conducted with a total of 20 front office department employees. MaxQDA 24 Pro software was used in the content analysis of the obtained data. Upon examination of the findings, it was determined that there is no standard regarding which products guests can take from their rooms in hospitality businesses. A wide range of items have been found to be subject to guest theft, from toilet paper in guest rooms to overhead projectors in public areas. Research findings indicate that guests have stolen items from their rooms, common areas, and other guests. While thefts from hotel rooms and public areas cause financial losses in Hospitality Businesses, thefts from other guests lead to loss of prestige. When guest theft is noticed, front office department employees generally intervene based on the monetary value of the stolen item. It is also among the findings that employees ignore customer theft incidents because interventions will result in negative comments on social media sites and create a bad impression for their business.