Determinants of Loyalty in Cultural Destinations: Evidence from Petra, Jordan

• Published in: Tourism, culture & communication culture & communication, 2021-09, Vol.21 (3), p.235-250
• Main Authors: Shammout, Ahmad Bahjat, Al-Okaily, Nour Salah, Alrawadieh, Ziad, Ekiz, Erdogan H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brand loyalty; Marketing; Success; Tourism
• ISSN: 1098-304X
• DOI: 10.3727/194341421X16213644579319

It is commonly understood within the tourism industry that the longer term success of a destination depends on visitor loyalty. While there have been extensive scholarly investigations of destination loyalty, there has been minimal empirical examination of the most critical determinants of loyalty within a single integrated model, particularly in the context of cultural destinations. To bridge this gap, this study investigates the direct influence of five factors on destination loyalty; destination image, destination awareness, perceived risks, perceived quality, and perceived value. The authors also provide new evidence about these relationships, with a focus on Petra, one of the world's most popular cultural-oriented destinations. Using a purposive sampling method, a total of 708 surveys were collected from international tourists who visited Petra between April and June 2019. It was found that all antecedents, apart from perceived risks, had a positive impact on destination loyalty. Apart from extending knowledge about destination loyalty, this study provides key implications for practitioners and proposes a future research agenda.