Quality and preservation of local resources in coastal destinations from the tourists’ perspective. The case of Hua Hin

Abstract

Purpose of the paper: This paper investigates whether the quality and preservation of natural and cultural resources meet tourist expectations and whether they have an influence on their satisfaction and re-visiting intentions. Methodology: A quantitative questionnaire was developed and administered to European tourists in Hua Hin, one of the most visited coastal destinations in Thailand. To identify and analyse possible effects, importance-performance analysis, principal component analysis and structural equation modelling have been employed. Results: Results show that the visitors’ expectations in terms of quality and preservation of local resources are not adequately met, thus should be improved. Findings also show that they affect tourist satisfaction and intention to return. Limits: The main limitations of this paper are the characteristics of the sample, which do not allow a complete generalization of the results, and the limited number of variables considered in the analysis. Implications: The study suggests that the quality and preservation of local resources are issues on which coastal destinations in developing countries should concentrate and invest in, in order to meet a growing tourists’ demand for sustainability. Originality of the paper: This paper is one of the few contributions examining if quality and preservation of tourism resources affect tourist loyalty in coastal destinations in developing countries.