Customer Satisfaction in the Tourist Industry

Although research in customer satisfaction and service quality has increased enormously in the past 10 years, little of this research has focused on the tourist industry. A survey instrument was developed that identified four primary components of a tourist's vacation: transportation, accommodation, outdoor activities, and attractions. Tourists were inter viewed at Auckland International Airport before leaving New Zealand. They rated their satisfaction with each of the four components and various subcomponents. Multiple regres sion results showed that satisfaction with accommodation, outdoor activities, and attrac tions has the strongest impact on overall satisfaction with the holiday, while only satisfac tion with outdoor activities affects the likelihood of recommending New Zealand as a vacation destination. Although there is not much difference in the satisfaction levels among tourists from different countries, there are major differences in the demographic profile of the tourists and the activities in which they participate during their stay.