Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Islamic Azad university north of tehran

2 Islamic Azad university north of Tehran

Abstract

Theme parks represent a huge and fast-growing part of the world's hospitality and tourism industry, which has become an interesting and important research topic for marketers and activists in this industry. Creating and preserving memorable experiences along with meaningful mental image is an essential part of the marketing management of the water park industry which leads to behavioral goals such as recommending the park to others and the intention of visitors to re-visit. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the factors influencing the behavioral intentions of tourists visiting water parks in the city of Mashhad. This is a descriptive research and of the correlational type. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, 384 visitors were selected using a simple sampling method and a standardized questionnaire. Also, structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. The results of the hypotheses testing showed that the quality of experience has a positive effect on the mental image, satisfaction and perceived value of the visitors, and the mental image of the visitors has a positive and significant effect on perceived value, satisfaction, and pleasure of the visitors. Although the perceived value and pleasure of visitors have a positive effect on satisfaction, the visitor's pleasure does not directly affect his or her behavioral intentions, and this effect occurs indirectly through satisfaction. The findings provide insights for water park managers and marketers and allow them to understand the factors affecting visitor behavior such as recommending others and the intention to re-visit the water park and as a result, organize services in a way that meets the needs of visitors

Keywords

حیدرزاده، کامبیز، نجفی، کبری، حسینی، سیدعلی. (1396). تاثیر کیفیت خدمات گردشگری بر وفاداری به مقصد گردشگری با توجه به نقش میانجی تصویر ذهنی از مقصد گردشگری و رضایت گردشگران. مطالعات مدیریت گردشگری، 12(40), 115-153.
داوری، علی و رضازاده، آرش. (1392). مدل‌سازی معادلات ساختاری با نرم‌افزار پی آل اس، سازمان انتشارات جهاد دانشگاهی، اول، تهران.
همتی، رضا و زهرانی، داود (1393). بررسی عوامل مؤثر بر رضامندی و وفاداری گردشگران خارجی به اصفهان به‌مثابه برند گردشگری، فصلنامه علمی پژوهشی برنامه‌ریزی و توسعه گردشگری، دوره 3، شماره 10، پاییز 1393، صص 182-204.
Al-Hawari, M. A. (2011). Automated service quality as a predictor of customers' commitment: a practical study within the UAE retail banking context. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 23(3), 346-366.
Alexander, M. W. (2012). Delight the customer: A predictive model for repeat purchase behavior. Journal of Relationship Marketing, 11(2), 116-123.
Ali, F., Kim, W. G., Li, J., & Jeon, H.-M. (2016). Make it delightful: Customers' experience, satisfaction and loyalty in Malaysian theme parks. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management.
Ali, F., Kim, W. G., & Ryu, K. (2016). The effect of physical environment on passenger delight and satisfaction: Moderating effect of national identity. Tourism management, 57, 213-224.
Barich, H., & Kotler, P. (1991). A framework for marketing image management. MIT Sloan Management Review, 32(2), 94.
Başarangil, İ. (2016). The relationships between the factors affecting perceived service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions among theme park visitors. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 1467358416664566.
Berman, B. (2005). How to delight your customers. California management review, 48(1), 129-151.
Bigné, J. E., Andreu, L., & Gnoth, J. (2005). The theme park experience: An analysis of pleasure, arousal and satisfaction. Tourism management, 26(6), 833-844.
Castro, C. B., Armario, E. M., & Ruiz, D. M. (2007). The influence of market heterogeneity on the relationship between a destination's image and tourists’ future behaviour. Tourism management, 28(1), 175-187.
Chen, C.-F., & Chen, F.-S. (2010). Experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists. Tourism management, 31(1), 29-35.
Chen, C.-F., & Tsai, D. (2007). How destination image and evaluative factors affect behavioral intentions? Tourism management, 28(4), 1115-1122.
Cheng, Q., Du, R., & Ma, Y. (2016). Factors influencing theme park visitor brand-switching behaviour as based on visitor perception. Current Issues in Tourism, 19(14), 1425-1446.
Cole, S. T., & Scott, D. (2004). Examining the mediating role of experience quality in a model of tourist experiences. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 16(1), 79-90.
Crompton, J. L., & Love, L. L. (1995). The predictive validity of alternative approaches to evaluating quality of a festival. Journal of travel research, 34(1), 11-24.
Denning, S. (2011). The essential metric of customer capitalism is customer outcomes. Strategy & Leadership, 39(4), 12-18.
Duman, T., & Mattila, A. S. (2005). The role of affective factors on perceived cruise vacation value. Tourism management, 26(3), 311-323.
Finn, A. (2005). Reassessing the foundations of customer delight. Journal of Service Research, 8(2), 103-116.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research, 39-50.
Geissler, G. L., & Rucks, C. T. (2011). The overall theme park experience: A visitor satisfaction tracking study. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 17(2), 127-138.
González, M. E. A., Comesaña, L. R., & Brea, J. A. F. (2007). Assessing tourist behavioral intentions through perceived service quality and customer satisfaction. Journal of Business research, 60(2), 153-160.
Hallak, R., Assaker, G., & El-Haddad, R. (2017). Re-examining the relationships among perceived quality, value, satisfaction, and destination loyalty: a higher-order structural model. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 1356766717690572.
Hirschman, E. C., & Holbrook, M. B. (1982). Hedonic consumption: emerging concepts, methods and propositions. the Journal of Marketing, 92-101.
Hu, H.-H., Kandampully, J., & Juwaheer, T. D. (2009). Relationships and impacts of service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and image: an empirical study. The service industries journal, 29(2), 111-125.
Jae Ko, Y., Zhang, J., Cattani, K., & Pastore, D. (2011). Assessment of event quality in major spectator sports. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 21(3), 304-322.
Jin, N., Line, N. D., & Merkebu, J. (2016). The effects of image and price fairness: A consideration of delight and loyalty in the waterpark industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 28(9), 1895-1914.
Jin, N. P., Lee, S., & Lee, H. (2015). The effect of experience quality on perceived value, satisfaction, image and behavioral intention of water park patrons: New versus repeat visitors. International Journal of Tourism Research, 17(1), 82-95.
Kao, Y.-F., Huang, L.-S., & Wu, C.-H. (2008). Effects of theatrical elements on experiential quality and loyalty intentions for theme parks. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 13(2), 163-174.
Kim, M., Vogt, C. A., & Knutson, B. J. (2015). Relationships among customer satisfaction, delight, and loyalty in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 39(2), 170-197.
Kim, S.-Y. (2006). The effects of service quality on satisfaction, reviewing intentions, and recommendation of consumer of water parks. Korean alliance for health, physical education, recreation and dance, 45(3), 325-333.
Ko, Y. J., & Pastore, D. L. (2005). A Hierarchial Model of Service Quality for the Recreational Sport Industry. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 14(2).
Kwak, H.-P., Kim, K.-S., & Lee, C.-S. (2010). Measurement scale development of waterpark service quality. The Journal of the Korea Contents Association, 10(1), 426-435.
Lam, T., & Hsu, C. H. (2006). Predicting behavioral intention of choosing a travel destination. Tourism management, 27(4), 589-599.
Lee, S., Jin, N., & Lee, H. (2014). The moderating role of water park service quality, environment, image, and food quality on perceived value and customer loyalty: A South Korean case study. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 15(1), 19-43.
Lin, C.-H., Morais, D. B., Kerstetter, D. L., & Hou, J.-S. (2007). Examining the role of cognitive and affective image in predicting choice across natural, developed, and theme-park destinations. Journal of travel research, 46(2), 183-194.
Loureiro, S. M. (2010). Satisfying and delighting the rural tourists. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 27(4), 396-408.
Ma, J., Gao, J., Scott, N., & Ding, P. (2013). Customer delight from theme park experiences: The antecedents of delight based on cognitive appraisal theory. Annals of Tourism Research, 42, 359-381.
Ma, J., Scott, N., Gao, J., & Ding, P. (2017). Delighted or satisfied? Positive emotional responses derived from theme park experiences. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 34(1), 1-19.
Milman, A. (2009). Evaluating the guest experience at theme parks: an empirical investigation of key attributes. International Journal of Tourism Research, 11(4), 373-387.
Milman, A., & Tasci, A. D. (2017). Exploring the experiential and sociodemographic drivers of satisfaction and loyalty in the theme park context. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management.
Oh, H. (1999). Service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer value: A holistic perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 18(1), 67-82.
Oliver, R. L. (1980). A cognitive model of the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction decisions. Journal of marketing research, 460-469.
Oliver, R. L. (1999). Whence consumer loyalty? the Journal of Marketing, 33-44.
Olorunniwo, F., Hsu, M. K., & Udo, G. J. (2006). Service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in the service factory. Journal of services marketing, 20(1), 59-72.
Otto, J. E., & Ritchie, J. B. (1996). The service experience in tourism. Tourism management, 17(3), 165-174.
Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. the Journal of Marketing, 41-50.
Petrick, J. F., & Backman, S. J. (2002). An examination of the construct of perceived value for the prediction of golf travelers’ intentions to revisit. Journal of travel research, 41(1), 38-45.
Plutchik, R. (1990). Emotions and psychotherapy: A psychoevolutionary perspective Emotion, psychopathology, and psychotherapy (pp. 3-41): Elsevier.
Qin, H., & Prybutok, V. R. (2009). Service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions in fast-food restaurants. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 1(1), 78-95.
Ryan, C., Shih Shuo, Y., & Huan, T.-C. (2010). Theme parks and a structural equation model of determinants of visitor satisfaction—Janfusan Fancyworld, Taiwan. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 16(3), 185-199.
Ryu, K., Han, H., & Kim, T.-H. (2008). The relationships among overall quick-casual restaurant image, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27(3), 459-469.
Ryu, K., Lee, H.-R., & Gon Kim, W. (2012). The influence of the quality of the physical environment, food, and service on restaurant image, customer perceived value, customer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 24(2), 200-223.
Sheth, J. N., Newman, B. I., & Gross, B. L. (1991). Why we buy what we buy: A theory of consumption values. Journal of Business research, 22(2), 159-170.
Sung Moon, K., Kim, M., Jae Ko, Y., Connaughton, D. P., & Hak Lee, J. (2011). The influence of consumer's event quality perception on destination image. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 21(3), 287-303.
Szymanski, D. M., & Hise, R. T. (2000). E-satisfaction: an initial examination. Journal of retailing, 76(3), 309-322.
Tasci, A. D., & Milman, A. (2017). Exploring experiential consumption dimensions in the theme park context. Current Issues in Tourism, 1-24.
Torres, E. N., Fu, X., & Lehto, X. (2014). Examining key drivers of customer delight in a hotel experience: A cross-cultural perspective. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 36, 255-262.
Tsang, N. K., Lee, L. Y., Wong, A., & Chong, R. (2012). THEMEQUAL—Adapting the SERVQUAL scale to theme park services: A case of Hong Kong Disneyland. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 29(5), 416-429.
Westbrook, R. A., & Oliver, R. L. (1991). The dimensionality of consumption emotion patterns and consumer satisfaction. Journal of consumer research, 18(1), 84-91.
Wirtz, J., & Bateson, J. E. (1999). Consumer satisfaction with services: integrating the environment perspective in services marketing into the traditional disconfirmation paradigm. Journal of Business research, 44(1), 55-66.
Wu, H.-C., & Ai, C.-H. (2016). Synthesizing the effects of experiential quality, excitement, equity, experiential satisfaction on experiential loyalty for the golf industry: The case of Hainan Island. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 29, 41-59.
Wu, H.-C., Li, M.-Y., & Li, T. (2018). A study of experiential quality, experiential value, experiential satisfaction, theme park image, and revisit intention. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 42(1), 26-73.
Wu, H.-C., Li, T., & Li, M.-Y. (2016). A study of behavioral intentions, patient satisfaction, perceived value, patient trust and experiential quality for medical tourists. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 17(2), 114-150.
Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer perceptions of price, quality, and value: a means-end model and synthesis of evidence. the Journal of Marketing, 2-22.
Zhang, Y., Li, X. R., Su, Q., & Hu, X. (2017). Exploring a theme park's tourism carrying capacity: A demand-side analysis. Tourism management, 59, 564-578.
Zins, A. H. (2002). Consumption emotions, experience quality and satisfaction: a structural analysis for complainers versus non-complainers. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 12(2-3), 3-18.