Crowding, Emotions, Visitor Satisfaction and Loyalty in a Managed Visitor Attraction

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual model.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics, distribution, reliability and convergent validity.

Constructs and items	n	Items	M	SD	α	ω	1^st Factor	Factor loadings	Communalities
Perceived Crowding (7-point)	248	4	3.76	1.59	.89	.90	76%	.94-.70
The ski resort seemed very crowded to me.			3.56	1.83				.94	.88
The ski resort was a little too busy.			3.33	1.75				.93	.86
There wasn't much traffic at the ski resort during my trip (R).			3.82	1.89				.70	.49
There were a lot of people at the ski resort.			3.96	1.89				.89	.80
Alternative Crowding measure (9-point)	248				.90	.90	78%	.95-.80
The lifts			4.63	2.29				.89
The service facilities			4.87	2.02
The slopes			4.14	1.74
Sirdal Skisenter (overall)			4.46	1.83
Satisfaction (11-point)	243	4	7.92	1.96	.86	.86	73%	.88-.79
All in all, I am satisfied with this trip to Sirdal Skisenter.			8.89	1.74				.88	.78
This trip to Sirdal Skisenter meets my expectations.			8.57	2.02				.86	.73
This trip to Sirdal Skisenter compares to an ideal ski resort experience.			6.01	2.80				.79	.63
Overall, how satisfied are you with the visit to Sirdal Skisenter?			8.21	1.86				.88	.78
Loyalty (5-point)	246	4	4.18	.71	.87	.92	73%	.95-.49
I will recommend Sirdal Skisenter to people who seek my advice.			4.03	.89				.94	.88
I will tell other people positive things about Sirdal Skisenter.			4.04	.88				.95	.90
I will recommend Sirdal Skisenter to my friends.			4.02	.89				.95	.90
I will visit Sirdal Skisenter again.			4.61	.63				.49	.24
Constructs and items	n	Items	M	SD	α	ω	1^st Factor	Factor loadings	Communalities
Visitor Density	230	1	1552	699
Tolerance to Crowding (7-point)	248	4	3.52	1.13	.61	.63	47%	.79-.45
I avoid crowded slopes whenever possible (reversed).			4.94	1.62				.77	.59
A crowded slope doesn't really bother me.			3.07	1.71				.79	.63
If I see a slope that is crowded, I won't even go (reversed).			3.26	1.75				.67	.45
It's worth having to deal with a crowded slope if I can save time and money.			3.22	1.58				.45	.20
Prior Expectations (Please indicate your prior expectations of crowding; 7-point)	248	1	3.62	1.60
Cognitive Specialization/ Skills and knowledge (9-point)	248	3	6.23	1.70	.96	.96	93%	.98-.95
My confidence level as a skier/snowboarder.			6.23	1.73				.97	.94
My knowledge/ability of skiing/snowboarding.			6.25	1.73				.98	.95
My ability to adapt to different skiing/snowboarding situations.			6.11	1.82				.95	.90
Emotions (5-point)
Joy	246	3	4.12	.66	.83	.83	75%	.89-.84
Happy			4.25	.67				.89	.80
Delighted			4.12	.79				.87	.75
Cheerful			3.99	.82				.84	.71
Sadness	248	3	1.27	.62	.91	.91	84%	.93-.90
Sad			1.28	.65				.93	.87
Gloomy			1.29	.71				.90	.80
Depressed			1.23	.67				.93	.86
Interest	242	2	3.95	.69
Alert			3.93	.78
Attentive			3.98	.74
Anger	244	3	1.45	.69	.83	.83	77%	.92-.80
Mad			1.39	.83				.92	.85
Angry			1.32	.66				.91	.82
Irritated			1.65	.95				.80	.65
Guilt	248	3	1.27	.63	.86	.87	79%	.91-.85
Guilty			1.24	.72				.85	.72
Repentant			1.29	.71				.91	.83
Blameworthy			1.27	.71				.91	.82
Shyness	248	3	1.24	.55	.83	.84	75%	.91-.82
Ashamed			1.20	.63				.82	.67
Bashful			1.23	.63				.91	.83
Shy			1.27	.67				.87	.75
Contempt	248	4	1.17	.52	.95	.95	88%	.96-.91
Disregard			1.18	.58				.91	.83
Contemptuous			1.19	.59				.96	.93
Scornful			1.17	.54				.93	.87
Defiant			1.16	.52				.94	.88
Surprise	245	2	1.77	.90	.52
Astonished			1.50	.95
Surprised			2.04	1.17
Fear	234	2	1.43	.67	.69
Fearful			1.36	.66
Nervous			1.50	.80
Disgust	248	2	1.17	.55	.83
Disgust			1.15	.54
Distaste			1.19	.61

Table 2. Correlations.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
1. Prior expectations	1
2. Tolerance	−.07	1
3. Alternative crowding	.55**	−.01	1
4. Crowding	.62**	.01	.79**	1
5. Satisfaction	−.28**	.17**	−.21**	−.30**	1
6. Loyalty	−.19**	.06	−.20**	−.23**	.66**	1
7. Joy	−.20**	.12	−.10	−.15*	.52**	.48**	1
8. Anger	.34**	.04	.29**	.37**	−.36**	−.41**	−.36**	1
9. Surprise	.17**	.06	.17**	.16*	−.02	−.00	−.01	.19**	1
10. Interest	−.09	.01	−.03	−.10	.29**	.24**	.45**	−.25**	−.08	1
11. Fear	.13*	−.00	.14*	.14*	−.04	−.03	−.10	.25**	.37**	−.10	1
12. Sadness	.21**	.03	.15*	.16*	−.25**	−.38**	−.37**	.64**	.28**	−.25**	.29**	1
12. Guilt	.24**	−.01	.18**	.22**	−.24**	−.35**	−.36**	.52**	.31**	−.17**	.32**	.66**	1
13. Shyness	.25**	.05	.17**	.20**	−.11	−.27**	−.23**	.43**	.38**	−.19**	.52**	.65**	.77**	1
14. Contempt	.18**	.07	.14*	.19**	−.14*	−.29**	−.25**	.47**	.40**	−.23**	.46**	.68**	.75**	.82**	1
15. Disgust	.17**	.01	.16*	.15*	−.18**	−.32**	−.29**	.46**	.29**	−.17**	.38**	.58**	.72**	.71**	.71**	1
16. Visitor density	.41**	.01	.58**	.64**	−.23**	−.07	−.12	.27**	.02	−.06	.03	.02	.05	−.03	−.01	−.02	1

** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

* Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

Table 3. Joy and anger as mediators in parallel multiple mediation analysis.

Antecedent		Consequent
		Joy				Anger				Satisfaction
		Coeff.	SE	p		Coeff.	SE	p		Coeff.	SE	p
Crowding	a1	−.06	.03	< .05	a2	.14	.03	< .001	c’	−.21	.07	< .01
Joy		---	---	---		---	---	---	b1	1.21	.18	< .001
Anger		---	---	---		---	---	---	b2	−.34	.17	< .05
Constant	iM1	4.37	.11	< .001	iM2	.91	.09	< .001	iY	4.20	.90	< .001
		R² =.02F(1,236) = 4.94, p < .05				R² =.11F(1,236) = 27.17, p < .001				R² =.32F(3,234) = 34.40, p < .001

ª n = 238.

Table 4. Satisfaction as mediator between crowding and loyalty.

Antecedent		Consequent
		Satisfaction				Loyalty
		Coeff.	SE	p		Coeff.	SE	p
Crowding	a	−.35	.07	< .001	c’	−.01	.02	.73
Satisfaction		---	---	---	b	.25	.02	< .001
Constant	i1	9.21	.28	< .001	i2	2.22	.22	< .001
		R² =.10F(1,240) = 24.09, p < .001				R² = .43F(2,239) = 73.33, p < .001

ª n = 242.