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The Impact of Tourist Experience Attributes on Tourist Satisfaction and Behavioural Intention in Tonga: A Comparison Between First-Time and Repeat Visitors

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Dissertation embargoed until 11th November 2026(565.58 KB)

Date

2024

Authors

Supervisor

Bai, Blake
Kim, Peter

Item type

Dissertation

Degree name

Master of International Tourism Management

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

This study investigates the attributes of tourist experiences in Tonga and their influence on visitor satisfaction and behavioural intentions, with a particular focus on differences between first-time and repeat visitors. Using data from the 2023 Tonga International Visitor Survey, exploratory factor analysis identified four key dimensions of the Tongan tourism experience attributes: infrastructure and facility, activity-based experience, service quality, and local product experience. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the impact of these experience attributes on both overall satisfaction and behavioural intentions and the moderating role of first-time versus repeat visitors. Results indicate that tourism experience attributes such as service quality, and activities-based experience significantly influence visitor overall satisfaction and behavioural intentions. The study reveals distinct patterns in how first-time and repeat visitors perceive and value different aspects of their tourist experience in Tonga. First-time visitors were more strongly influenced by service quality and activity-based experience in their evaluation of overall satisfaction compared to repeat visitors. Service quality also appeared to be a stronger predictor for first-time visitors than repeat visitors in behavioural intention. The results revealed a significant difference in local product experience on both satisfaction and behavioural intention between the first-time and repeat visitor. The study contributes to the limited research on tourism in Tonga and provides insights into cultivating visitor loyalty in Pacific tourism destinations. By comparing first-time and repeat visitors to Tonga, it offers an understanding of how previous visit experience influences satisfaction and behavioural intention. These findings have practical implications for Tonga’s tourism industry stakeholders, offering guidance on how they can enhance visitors’ experiences and encourage repeat visitation in the post-COVID recovery period.

Description

Keywords

Tourist experience, first-time versus repeat visitors, visitor satisfaction, behavioural intention, International Visitor Survey

Source

DOI

Publisher's version

Rights statement

Permanent link

http://hdl.handle.net/10292/18252

Collections

Masters Dissertations