Assessing Island Destination Service Quality—An Integrated Model through Co-creation of Destination E-image

Abstract

This research aims to develop an integrated model for assessing island destination service quality, maritime passenger transport service quality, destination environmental competitiveness and their direct/indirect effects on tourist satisfaction and behavioural intentions, and further assess the cyclic nature of behavioural intentions in destination e-image formation. The study adopted the convenience sampling method, and the data were collected from 384 visitors at Koh Larn Island in Pattaya City, Thailand. The survey questionnaire was developed based on the literature review and expert opinion and tested for validity and reliability by using reliability statistics, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis; and achieved the required model fit. Further, the causal impacts were tested using structural equation model. The study confirmed the cyclical effects of behavioural intentions and its influence on destination e-image formation; and such destination e-image has a positive relationship in creating the visitors’ perception towards the destination environmental competitiveness and quality of all the services consumed during their trip. Thus, the results revealed that the model is suitable as an integrated approach for assessing tourists’ satisfaction and behavioural intentions towards the island destination. Further, this study extends the behavioural intentions literature based on changing modern-day service consumption patterns.