Relationships Among Perceived Value, Satisfaction, and Loyalty: Community-Based Ecotourism in Korea

ABSTRACT

Community-based ecotourism (CBE) is a significant segment of the rapidly growing tourism industry in Korea. This study examines the relationships among perceived value, satisfaction, and destination loyalty of CBE tourists in Korea. Data were collected from 254 visitors (aged 20 years and over) of six CBE villages. The Linear Structural Relationships (LISREL) statistical package was used for the analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis identified four dimensions of perceived value from 14 variables: economic, functional, emotional, and social. Through structural equation modeling (SEM), functional, social, and emotional value was found to have positive effects on overall value. Further, overall value and tourist satisfaction were a significant antecedent of destination loyalty. The empirical results indicate that a varied experiential program must be developed to increase the efficiency of CBE as a sustainable development tool.

KEYWORDS:

• Community-based ecotourism
• perceived value
• tourist satisfaction
• destination loyalty
• structural equation modeling (SEM)

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Research Program for Agricultural Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ00856201), National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea (PJ00856201).

Notes on contributors

Kyung-Hee Kim

Kyung-Hee Kim, PhD, is Researcher, Department of Agricultural Environment, National Institute of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, 166 Nongsaengmyeong-ro, Iseo-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 565-851, Republic of Korea (E-mail: [email protected]).

Duk-Byeong Park

Duk-Byeong Park, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Community Development, College of Industrial Science, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-gun, Chungnam 340–702, Republic of Korea (E-mail: [email protected]).