Tourist Satisfaction in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Abstract

Tourist satisfaction is an important measure of success for any tourist destination. This is because satisfied tourists would revisit and recommend to others. When a tourist is satisfied, it shows the credibility of the tourist destination which mainly focuses on its product and its services. Destination image and attribute satisfaction explain tourist satisfaction in the context of this study. Based on existing literature, 8 destination image dimensions (travel environment, natural attractions, Environment and Events, Infrastructure, Accessibility to island, Relaxation, Outdoor Activities, and Price and value) and 7 attribute satisfaction dimensions (Shopping, Activities, Lodging, Accessibility to Jetty, cultural biodiversity attractions, social environment and Dining) in pre and post conditions is used to determine the satisfaction level of the visitors to TARP. In order for tourists to be satisfied, their expectations must be met by their experience. Hence, expectation and experiences score of 407 respondents are taken during their visit to TARP. Paired t-tests analysis is conducted to determine the mean difference between the variables tested. The study results show that the tourists were satisfied with 4 destination image variables and 4 attribute satisfaction variables during their visit. Overall results conclude that the respondents are satisfied with their visit to TARP.