Length of stay and satisfaction shaping the competitiveness of international business tourism in São Paulo city, Brazil

Abstract

The notion of competitiveness receives growing attention in the tourism literature as it is recognized as a central factor for success in the visitor economy. Despite the enthusiasm for the promised benefits of this approach, there are gaps in understanding the limits and possibilities of making the destination competitive by attracting visitors and expanding their spending, providing a satisfying experience. We study international business tourism in Sao Paulo city to empirically explore how length of stay determines different dimensions of tourist satisfaction. Estimates indicate that length of stay negatively affects the satisfaction dimensions studied. Likewise, there is no evidence of the existence of a curvilinear relationship between these variables. Implications for policy makers and business management are presented.