Relationship Marketing and Destination Loyalty: Evidence from Penang, Malaysia
International Journal of Management and Marketing Research, v. 6 (1), p. 95-106
12 Pages Posted: 5 Sep 2013
Date Written: 2013
Abstract
Relationship marketing is a strategy to obtain a competitive advantage in tourism destinations. The term is defined as marketing activities for creating and maintaining customer loyalty. Despite the fact that creating customer loyalty is the main objective of relationship marketing, there is little agreement on which antecedents could be used to achieve it. This is particularly true in the competitive market of tourist destinations. This study attempts to examine the level of international tourists’ satisfaction with basic elements of destination (attraction, amenities, accessibility, image, price, people working in tourism), as well as the relationship between ‘overall satisfaction’ and destination loyalty in terms of revisit intention and recommendation. The results support the existing relationships between overall satisfaction and destination loyalty. We find that overall satisfaction is significant for revisit intention and recommendation. Finally, the paper discusses managerial implications as well as potential for further research in light of the findings.
Keywords: Relationship Marketing, Satisfaction, Basic Elements, Destination Loyalty
JEL Classification: M30
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation