Assessing the Mediating Role of Destination Image on the Perceived Value and Satisfaction of People With Disabilities

Abstract

The growth of the economy and culture has made tourism a necessary part of daily life. The number of elderly and disabled people actively participating in tourism is increasing, and so is the market for accessible travel. Despite this fact, little is known about the determinant factors affecting people with disabilities' satisfaction in developing countries. The current study aims to examine the effect of perceived value on customers' satisfaction, with emphasis on the mediating role of the destination image. Data were collected from 250 PWDs in Northern Cyprus. A series of analyses were performed using the partial least square structural equation modeling to test the research hypothesis. The results support the hypothesis that destination image mediates the relationship between perceived value and satisfaction for people with disabilities. The study enhances our knowledge of the importance of perceived destination image by PWDs that can have implications for destination marketing to improve the image and its reconstruction for an accessible tourism market.