Mediating role of tourist satisfaction on the relationship between destination image and loyalty

Abstract

The tourism industry is one of the most important sectors in the world as it can contribute to the national economy development. While it forms a major pillar to a nation‟s economic development, it is important to study destination loyalty as it generates a significant increase in profit through repeat visiting. However, according to the Malaysian Tourism Board (Tourism Malaysia), most of the international tourists visiting Malaysia were the first-time visitors. In addition, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), Malaysia is reported to have failed in positioning its destination image in the minds of tourists which can affect tourist satisfaction. Thus, there is a need to investigate the destination image of Malaysia and tourist satisfaction because it is believed that these constructs have influences on destination loyalty. In view of this, the objectives of the study were formulated to examine the link between destination image and destination loyalty as well as to examine the mediating role of tourist satisfaction on this link.