Tourists' satisfaction, recommendation and revisiting Singapore

Abstract

This study assesses the satisfaction of different tourist groups using a conceptual model that combines the concepts of the Expectancy Disconfirmation Paradigm [Oliver, R.L. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of Marketing Research, 17, 460-469] and Service Quality framework [Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V.A., & Berry, L.L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. Journal of Marketing, 49, 41-50; Cronin, J.J., & Taylor, S.A. (1992). Measuring service quality: A re-examination and extension. Journal of Marketing, 56, 55-68]. A sample of 424 tourists departing from Singapore Changi International Airport was surveyed with a structured questionnaire. A series of analyses were performed on the segmented groups-Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America. In both the disconfirmation and perceptions-only models used in this study, it was consistently found that 'Price' was insignificant in shaping overall satisfaction levels for all groups of tourists. 'Accommodation and Food' was significant for the North Americans' overall satisfaction. 'Attractions' was significant for the European and Asian tourists while 'Culture' was significant for the Oceania tourists. There was no single factor that appealed to all the groups of travellers. It was also found that all tourists were willing to recommend Singapore to their relatives and friends and they were willing to revisit Singapore in the future. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.