Title: Age matters: how demographics influence visitor perception and attitude at the destination level

Authors: Jun Li; Faizan Ali; Woo Gon Kim

Addresses: Dedman School of Hospitality, College of Business, Florida State University, B4116 University Center, 288 Champions Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA ' Dedman School of Hospitality, College of Business, Florida State University, B4116 University Center, 288 Champions Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA ' International Center for Hospitality Research & Development, Dedman School of Hospitality, College of Business, B4116 University Center, 288 Champions Way, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA

Abstract: The competitiveness of tourist attractions depends on satisfying visitors, saving money, and achieving revisits. Therefore, it is very important to know the roles of visitors' awareness of their satisfaction, theoretical relationships, and loyalty to a destination in both theoretical and empirical aspects. In most of the previous empirical research related to the relationships among destination images, visitors' satisfaction, and their behavioural intentions to a destination, the moderating variables were not considered. Therefore, in this study, we analyse the moderating effects of certain personal features of different age groups on the theoretical relationship among visitors' satisfaction and their behavioural intentions to a destination and that destination's image. More specially, this research is conducted based on the exploration of the influences of differences in ages on the relationships between the destination's image and the visitors' satisfaction or behavioural intentions. Based on the multiple-group causes and effect analyses, the research results show that the visitors' personal features significantly affect the relationship between the destination's image and visitors' satisfaction or behavioural intentions. Moreover, in general, these relationships tend to be stronger for younger visitors. Finally, the influences are analysed and discussed in both the theoretical and practical aspects.

Keywords: moderating effect; destination image; visitor satisfaction; behavioural intention; measurement invariance test; demographics; visitor perceptions; visitor attitudes; tourist destinations; tourism industry; age groups; age differences.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIL.2017.081936

International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 2017 Vol.21 No.2, pp.149 - 164

Received: 05 Jul 2015
Accepted: 07 Sep 2015
Published online: 31 Jan 2017 *

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