Tourist satisfaction: A guided “cultural” tour in north queensland

The principal aim of this research was to determine factors responsible for tourists' satisfaction with 1-day guided tours of an aboriginal and islander community in North Queensland. Requirements of the tour guide and expectations of cultural interaction were compared with overall satisfaction. The degree to which these expectations were met determined tourists' satisfaction with the tour as a whole. Of particular importance were the ability of the tour guide to (a) provide an interesting commentary, (b) interact with the tour group, and (c) ensure the smooth running of the tour. Visitor evaluations of cultural enrichment and interaction with the local people were also important These results were interpreted within the tourist-environmental “fit” theory.