Evaluation of the Factors Affecting the Tourist's Experience after Traveling in the Ecotourism Sites of Rasht City

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph. D Student in Urban Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Art, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

2 Associate Professor of Urban Planning Department, Faculty of Architecture and Art, Gilan University, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: The existing literature has a limited number of empirical studies investigating how tourists' post-travel experience affects the destination image, and the relationships between experience, image, satisfaction, and behavior are not yet fully understood, especially in the context of ecotourism where managing the destination image can be more challenging. Previous research has primarily focused on pre-trip image and its influence on travel decisions, while post-travel destination image and how it is shaped by tourism experiences have been less studied. Despite the importance of this aspect to the industry, it has not been adequately explored within the ecotourism domain.
This study aims to contribute to the debate on the significance of post-travel destination image and address the gap in the literature regarding the impact of tourists' ecotourism experiences. Most previous studies have examined experience and image separately in relation to behavior, while some have investigated experience-satisfaction-loyalty or image-satisfaction-loyalty relationships. However, studies that examine the interconnected relationships between experience, image, and behavior are scarce. Additionally, experience may be multidimensional, including more than one emotional dimension.
To address these gaps, the present study utilized an experience-image-satisfaction-loyalty framework that included not only the construct of destination loyalty but also the construct of ecotourism loyalty, operationalized as loyalty to ecotourism as a form of travel.
 
The Purpose of the Research: The current study aims to expand previous research through:
(a) Investigating the different effects of aspects of tourists' experiences on various aspects of the destination's image;
(b) Linking these constructs with satisfaction;
(c) Reviewing the proposed framework in the context of ecotourism, which led to the decision to add ecotourism loyalty to the model.
 
Methodology: The research method in this study is correlational and falls within the framework of analytical methods. To collect information, a researcher-made questionnaire technique was used. Cronbach's alpha for this set of questionnaires is 0.924. The research population was calculated using Cochran's formula to be 384 people. A single-stage cluster sampling method was used to select participants from among tourists and citizens visiting Rasht Nature.
To analyze the results of the questionnaires and the effect of tourist experience on loyalty, satisfaction, and destination image, the Structural Equation Modeling method was used. For data analysis, SPSS 25 and LISREL software were used to calculate the data-model fit indices and present the structural analytical model of the research variables.
 
Findings and Discussion: The study found that the indicators of tourist experience had a positive, direct, and moderately high effect, meaning that increasing the level of tourist experience indicators can strengthen the tourist experience in Rasht. Both loyalty constructs were determined by experience, image, and satisfaction.
Tourism experience had a direct effect on loyalty through destination image and satisfaction (experience-image-satisfaction-loyalty) and also through destination image alone (experience-image-loyalty), consistent with previous research.
The effect of experience and image on tourists' behavior was examined through the experience-loyalty-satisfaction chain and the image-satisfaction-loyalty chain. Loyalty to ecotourism is more influenced by tourism experiences, followed by satisfaction and then the overall destination image.
These results confirm theories that a positive brand evaluation by customers can lead to the purchase of other brands in the same category. Notably, loyalty to ecotourism is influenced by destination image based on attributes, despite tourists having a positive perception of this aspect (average score of 3.15), which did not significantly affect ecotourism loyalty.
Consistent with prior research, positive experiences, satisfaction, and a favorable overall destination image were found to affect tourists' intention to visit other ecotourism destinations.
 
Conclusion: The paper's conclusion showed that satisfaction is affected by tourism experiences and destination image. Tourism experience had a direct effect on satisfaction and an indirect effect through destination image.
In addition, satisfaction is directly influenced by both specific and general destination image dimensions, as well as two experience dimensions (learning and novelty). Satisfaction is also indirectly influenced by three experience dimensions (active experience, sensory experience, and emotional experience) through the destination's image.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Urban Strategic Thought
Volume 2, Issue 2 - Serial Number 4
September 2024
Pages 35-49

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