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Journal of Vacation Marketing, Vol. 14, No. 1, 41-56 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1356766707084218
© 2008 SAGE Publications

Measuring tourist satisfaction by attribute and motivation: The case of a nature-based resort

Fang Meng

School of Human and Consumer Sciences, College of Health and Human Services Ohio University, Grover Center W324, Athens, OH 45701 USA, meng{at}ohio.edu

Yodmanee Tepanon

College of Innovative Education, Thammasat University, Thailand

Muzaffer Uysal

College of Hospitality, Retail & Sport Management at the University of South Carolina

Measuring tourist satisfaction plays an important role in marketing tourism products and services. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between destination attribute importance and performance, travel motivation, and satisfaction. It is hypothesized that tourist satisfaction of a destination is a function of attribute importance, performance, and travel motivation. A nature-based resort, serving as a short-term family vacation destination in South-east Virginia, was used as the study site for this research. Factor analyses were employed to identify the dimensions of the destination attributes on importance and performance, as well as tourist motivations. The composite delineated factors were used as indicators to measure the overall tourist satisfaction in the regression analysis. The results revealed that friendly/quality services and lodging performance are significant factors in determining the overall satisfaction, whereas food and location are of significant importance in the satisfaction evaluation. Travel motivation, `family/friend togetherness' in particular, although not a statistical significant factor, practically explains its influence on the overall tourist satisfaction of a resort destination.

Key Words: attribute importance and performance • motivation • regression analysis • resort • satisfaction


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