From tourist motivations to tourist satisfaction

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the concept of push and pull satisfaction and relates it with a uni-dimensional measure of satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A factor structure is derived, comprising push and pull satisfaction factors which are related to the level of overall satisfaction. The empirical study was performed in Lisbon, one of the main cultural cities in Europe. Findings – Results suggest that overall satisfaction reflects the tourist assessment of push and pull dimensions of satisfaction. Furthermore, results also demonstrate that satisfaction arose within the opportunity to experience the cultural and social specificities of a destination considering the appropriate facilities. Based on the study findings, implications for management and marketing are presented. Research limitations/implications – This study comprises various methodological limitations mainly concerning the sample size that was restricted to 323 cases as well as it only considers the cultural city of Lisbon. Thus, to improve and enhance the model, future works should consider a comparison between multiple cultural destinations. Future research may comprise a broader time window to undertake the possible variation of data. Practical implications – This study represents a step forward to understand and predict tourist behaviour. Tourism scholars and practitioners should be aware that there is a need to consider further studies to develop more effective measurement scales to assess the considered constructs. For instance, the suggested assessment of overall satisfaction can be better to measure overall satisfaction by considering the idea of equity theory. Originality/value – The study contributes to the literature in two major directions. First, the present study is one of few works that attempt to develop a scale to measure satisfaction issues through the use of an adaptation of push and pull motivations. Second, results demonstrate that all the factors present high loading values competing to explain overall satisfaction. Such empirical evidence has the value to propose that the functional attributes contribute to satisfy the most intrinsic desires of learning about a culture, art or even the famous traditional music Fado in a balance novelty. Thus, several attributes contributing to distinct factors are willing to be grouped under the same theoretical umbrella when tourists draw the evaluation of overall satisfaction, e.g. tangibles (entertainment) and intangibles (learn about music, art or museums).