The Generation of Tourism Destination Satisfaction

Abstract

An analysis of tourist satisfaction and how to improve satisfaction levels is crucial for tourism destinations, especially for resorts that have reached their mature stage and must therefore ensure customer retention to remain competitive. This paper analyses and measures tourist satisfaction with one of the most popular and mature resorts of the Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands. From their findings, the authors examine how satisfaction is generated through its main antecedents: sacrifice and perceived quality. The results show that, by measuring satisfaction as a multidimensional construct, it is possible to detect the key variables in the generation of overall satisfaction. The results also reveal differences in the generation of satisfaction when the tourist is a repeat visitor. The authors also discuss whether the model can be extended to different nationalities, origins or cultural values.