The international tourists’ destination satisfaction and developmental policy suggestions for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

ABSTRACT

This study attempted to identify the factors affecting tourists’ destination satisfaction in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Quantitative approach was used with structured questionnaires translated into four languages (English, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean) and sent directly to 2073 foreign tourists who were staying in HCMC for at least 3 days. The major statistical techniques applied including factor analysis, multiple regressions, and path analysis. The findings of this study indicated that tourists’ destination satisfaction was directly and indirectly affected by eleven predictors of the research model which included perceived value, perceived service quality, safety and security, perceived price, destination image, objective negative attributes, natural environment, local cuisine, tourist infrastructure, entertainment and recreation activities, and cultural, historical, and art attractions. Based on the empirical results, practical implications were especially provided for local tourism policy makers of HCMC.

KEYWORDS:

• Tourist satisfaction
• perceived value
• destination image
• Ho Chi Minh City
• perceived service quality
• Vietnam tourism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This research is funded and supported by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.