Antecedents of Domestic Tourists’ Loyalty: The Role of Place Attachment and Satisfaction

Abstract

Place attachment is conceptualized as a multidimensional construct reflecting the bond between individuals and places. Tourists may also develop an attachment to a destination, and attachment could be an essential measure of tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty. Therefore, this study empirically evaluates a model linking place attachment, satisfaction, and destination loyalty. The study also analyses the mediating effect of satisfaction on the relationship between place attachment and destination loyalty in island tourism destination context. Data were collected from 311 domestic tourists visiting Bozcaada Island, Turkey. An analysis was carried out using a Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique through structural equation modelling to test the theoretical model. After the analysis, significant and positive relationships were determined between place attachment, satisfaction, and destination loyalty variables. With this research, place attachment and satisfaction are defined as the antecedents that have an important place in the formation of destination loyalty. The relations of these antecedents with each other and destination loyalty and their direct and indirect effects on the construction of loyalty are revealed. In line with these effects, a series of suggestions for literature and practice are presented.