In this study, we conducted a multilevel analysis of factors affecting customer satisfaction in the global hotel industry. The survey data collected from TripAdvisor.com included customer reviews relating to 13,410 hotels located in 80 major global urban tourism destinations. We examined multiple relevant factors at each of the following five levels of analysis: (a) service encounter, (b) visitor, (c) visitor’s nationality, (d) hotel, and (e) destination. The results show that hotel attributes and the personal characteristics of visitors most powerfully influence customer satisfaction. However, the purpose of the trip, the characteristics of the destination, and the visitor’s nationality are also found to play an important role in hotel evaluation. By integrating multiple levels of analysis into a single statistical model, multilevel modeling framework enables researchers and professionals to see the “big picture” of factors affecting customer satisfaction in the contemporary hotel industry.

Community-led sustainable tourism represents a paradigm shift that emphasizes the role of local residents in shaping tourism initiatives that not only promote environmental stewardship but also enhance local economies and preserve cultural heritage. The research focused on two rural wine destinations, Banoštor in Serbia and Radda in Chianti, Italy, utilizing a constructivist epistemological approach to understand community-led tourism. The study aimed to assess how community involvement enhances the competitiveness of rural destinations, evaluates the social, cultural, and economic empowerment of local communities, and examines the role of community participation in sustainable tourism development. The factor analysis identified three key factors—destination competitiveness, local empowerment, and community participation—that collectively account for 86.25% of the variance in sustainable community-led tourism. This model highlights how community-led initiatives can enhance the competitiveness of rural destinations by attracting eco-conscious travelers and ensuring that economic benefits remain within the community, thus preserving local culture and traditions. Furthermore, active community participation in tourism planning is crucial for sustainability, as it fosters a sense of ownership and aligns tourism development with local values, ultimately leading to long-term benefits for both the community and the destination. To enhance competitiveness, Banoštor must improve wine offerings, invest in marketing, and develop infrastructure while empowering local communities through tourism initiatives, ensuring that local voices are heard and tourism revenues benefit residents.