Satisfaction and Loyalty of Domestic Tourists towards the Kapas Island Marine Park

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to analyze tourists satisfaction and loyalty  towards Kapas Island Marine Park (TLPK) tourist destination. Measures of the importance and satisfaction are based on the analysis of means that is comparing between the expected mean and actual/perception mean of tourist satisfactions.   The difference between the means is the gap value. Gap analysis is utilized to explain in details tourist satisfaction. Findings from gap analysis are able to indicate whether all tourist expectations are fulfilled or not. If there is no difference between these means, tourists get what they expected from their visits. If these two means are difference we need to explore further to ensure whether tourists are able or not fulfilling their expectation from their visits. Research findings have shown all tourists are satisfied with all services quality provided as indicated by the value of perception mean of 3.72-4.87 which is higher than the average perception value of 2.5.  However, utilizing gap analysis and paired t test, there is the difference between the expected and perception means and they are significant for all attributes. Gap values are found to be negative which mean tourists are not getting what they expected. However, they are still satisfied with their visit since the value of perception mean is higher than the average mean. The level of loyalty as proxied by the intention for repeated visit in the future and suggesting to other potential tourists are found to be quite high which is about 78 and 85 percent of the tourists are  willing to come again and encourage other people to visit TLPK.