How gaming tourism affects tourism development through word-of-mouth communication regarding a destination: applying the integrated satisfaction theory

ABSTRACT

This study applies the concept of integrated satisfaction to investigate the effects of satisfaction with gaming and non-gaming experience on word-of-mouth communication regarding gaming destination. A survey in Macau (n = 298) indicates that integrated satisfaction has a partial mediating effect on the relationship between non-gaming satisfaction and word-of-mouth, and integrated satisfaction has a moderating and partial mediating effect on the relationship between gaming satisfaction and word-of-mouth. Therefore, gaming tourism enlarges the effect of the non-gaming tourism experience. Besides, gaming activities cause positive word-of-mouth communication for repeat tourists. This study extends our knowledge in gaming tourism and integrated satisfaction theory.

KEYWORDS:

• Gaming satisfaction
• integrated satisfaction theory
• transaction-specific satisfaction
• word-of-mouth
• gaming destination
• Macau
• tourism experience
• tourist satisfaction
• new and repeat tourists
• non-gaming tourism activities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).