Understanding and Measuring Tourist Satisfaction for Urban Tourism Marketing

Abstract

This paper presents the findings on a tourist satisfaction measurement based on a survey done in Kuching City, Sarawak. A tourist satisfaction scale was adapted to measure the perceived-satisfaction of the tourists using 205 personally administered questionnaires. The reliability of the scale and sub-scales were found to be satisfactory. The tourist satisfaction measure made up of eight dimensions, namely: accommodation, local transportation services, hygiene and cleanliness, hospitality, facilities and activities, price, language and communication, and airport services. Based on 7-point Likert scale, the results indicate that the surveyed tourists were generally satisfied with the city, except for local transportation services. Besides, the intentions to re-visit and recommend to others were also found to be very encouraging. Some implications for urban tourism marketing are discussed.