Open AccessDeterminants of International Tourists’ Destination Loyalty: Empirical Evidence from Serengeti National Park in Tanzania
Author(s) -
Richard J. Matolo,
Paul J. Salia,
Vedasto Gabriel Ndibalema
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
african journal of hospitality, tourism and leisure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.232
H-Index - 11
ISSN - 2223-814X
DOI - 10.46222/ajhtl.19770720-134
Subject(s) - loyalty , tanzania , service quality , marketing , business , national park , structural equation modeling , service (business) , charter , advertising , value (mathematics) , mediation , geography , socioeconomics , political science , sociology , archaeology , machine learning , computer science , law , statistics , mathematics
This study was conducted to assess the determinants of tourists’ loyalty to Serengeti National Park (SENAPA) in Tanzania. The study involved 1,148 respondents who were international tourists visiting the park from March to December 2018. Data were collected using a structured survey questionnaire. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique was used in the analysis. Findings revealed that service quality was a positive predictor of tourists’ loyalty. Accordingly, destination image and perceived value had positive effects on tourists destination loyalty. Also, satisfaction was found to have positive effect on destination loyalty. Furthermore, the findings revealed that satisfaction had a partial mediation effect on the relationship between service quality, destination image and perceived value on the one hand and destination loyalty on the other. It was concluded that provision of high-quality services increased tourists’ loyalty to the park. Similarly, tourists’ satisfaction and realization of value during their trips increased loyalty. The study calls for SENAPA management to strive to maintain high quality of services provided to tourists by introducing service provision charter that would guide the operations of different stakeholders inside the park. Also, the park’s management should make efforts that would enhance perceived value among the tourists by reviewing costs of items charged on tourists like park entry fees in view of making them competitive compared to similar parks found in Africa.