An analysis of consumer loyalty to municipal recreation programs

Abstract This study of participant loyalty to selected municipal recreation programs emerged from the consumer behavior literature on brand loyalty, applying the concept to a service‐oriented leisure agency. Using a two‐dimensional measure of loyalty, incorporating both a behavioral or repeat purchasing dimension and an attitudinal or commitment dimension, this study found that participants exhibited a high degree of repeat purchasing and only a moderate level of commitment to agency programs. Loyalty segmentation results demonstrated that loyal patrons were more likely to be older and have more agency experience than less loyal participants. Applications of the study to program marketing and to future research are discussed.