TOURIST SATISFACTION AND DISSATISFACTION

Abstract

Satisfaction surveys usually include evaluations of different destination attributes on an ordinal scale. On such a scale, the mid-point of which is indifference, the tourist can express his/her satisfaction or dissatisfaction with each attribute. In this study it is suggested that some of the tourists' negative or unsatisfactory experiences need to be defined within a specific context of evaluation. An analysis is made of the differences and the complementary nature of the concepts and measurements of satisfaction and dissatisfaction during the holiday experience. This paper examines the impact of the satisfaction- and dissatisfaction-based evaluations on both the tourists' overall satisfaction and their intention to return to the destination. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.