Cognitive-affective-motivation factors influencing international visitors' destination satisfaction and loyalty
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights
ISSN: 2514-9792
Article publication date: 5 December 2022
Issue publication date: 1 December 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to understand the interrelationships between destination attractiveness, satisfaction, attachment and visitors' loyalty and to determine the potential moderating effect of generational cohorts. Using expectancy disconfirmation and generational cohort theories, the paper explains how visitors' cognitive knowledge and motivation factors influence international visitors' attraction and maintenance and their behavioral/attitudinal loyalty.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 390 international visitors to South Africa during the Southern Hemisphere's summertime via a quantitative research method. A two-stage approach of structural equation modeling was used to analyze the hypothesized model.
Findings
There was no relationship between visitors' loyalty and destination image or destination image and destination trust. However, destination image has a significant effect on visitors' satisfaction. Additionally, visitors' experience had a positive effect on satisfaction and loyalty, while destination trust and destination attachment were positively related.
Practical implications
The findings show that the tourism sector could reap greater benefits from international tourists if a deeper understanding of different generational cohorts was obtained. There was a varying effect of destination marketing organizations' efforts on different generational cohorts' attraction, trust, satisfaction, feelings and expectations. This study proposes that direct marketing organizations should focus on building brand trust, as it is key to attracting different generational cohorts. Lastly, the study found that generational cohort segmentation accrues many benefits and creates and enhances superior advantages.
Originality/value
The paper provides evidence that more than a destination's attractiveness is required to achieve loyalty; segmenting and understanding different generational cohorts' cognitive, affective and motivation aids in generating better response actions to tourists' changing needs and meeting their demands.
Keywords
Citation
Omo-Obas, P. and Anning-Dorson, T. (2023), "Cognitive-affective-motivation factors influencing international visitors' destination satisfaction and loyalty", Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, Vol. 6 No. 5, pp. 2222-2240. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHTI-05-2022-0178
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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