Effects of Tour Guide Interpretation and Tourist Satisfaction on Destination Loyalty in Taiwan’s Kinmen Battlefield Tourism: Perceived Playfulness and Perceived Flow as Moderators

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the mediating role of tourist satisfaction and the moderating roles of perceived playfulness and perceived flow in the relationship between tour guide interpretation and destination loyalty for tourists visiting the Kinmen battlefields in Taiwan. This study provides both theoretical and managerial contributions; an appropriate conceptual research model was developed based on a relevant literature review, and this model has relevant applications to both tourism academia and the tourism industry. By introducing playfulness and flow into our research model, we provide tourism managers at the Kinmen battlefield with insights that might help them to improve the design of their travel products and services. Our analysis confirms that tour guide interpretation has an influence on tourist satisfaction, and that tourist satisfaction in turn influences destination loyalty. Destination loyalty is also indirectly influenced by tour guide interpretation through tourist satisfaction. Key findings include correlations between tour guide interpretation and tourist satisfaction as well as tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty, which are stronger for tourists who perceive a high degree of playfulness and flow in their tourism experience.