Loyalty in Heritage Tourism: The Case of Córdoba and Its Four World Heritage Sites

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study visitor loyalty at a destination with heritage sites and to use the results to improve the competitiveness of the destination. This study used the SPSS AMOS software with a model of structural equations to evaluate the proposed hypotheses. A questionnaire was given to a sample of 428 tourists who visited the heritage sites in Córdoba. The management of any World Heritage City needs to know about the visitors’ experience at the destination, which includes their expectations for the trip, expected quality of the destination, satisfaction with the destination, and how these affect visitor loyalty to the city, because it is important to get the visitor to recommend, and return to, the destination. In the case of Córdoba, the research has proven that visitor loyalty depends on visitor satisfaction with the destination, which depends on the perceived quality and value of the visit. In addition, the following areas for improvement have been identified: improvement of the information about the destination, improvement of waiting times and the professionalization of specialized tour guides at heritage sites. Therefore, the findings are important for city managers in order to be able to take actions which increase the loyalty to, and competitiveness of, the city compared to other similar destinations with heritage sites.