Tourist Causal Attribution: Does Loyalty Matter?

ABSTRACT

The present study explores the role of tourist causal attribution in the relationship between pre-visit loyalty and tourist satisfaction. The study focuses on causal attribution as mediator in the relationship between pre-visit loyalty and tourist satisfaction. Locus, stability, and globality dimensions of attribution are proposed as the consequences of pre-visit loyalty and the antecedents of satisfaction while pre-visit loyalty is also set as the direct antecedent of satisfaction. The results show the mediating roles of stability and globality. The implications of applying attribution theory to tourism and the role of pre-visit loyalty in the tourist’s psychological process are further discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Causal attribution
• locus
• stability
• globality
• tourist loyalty
• satisfaction
• negative incident

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Suh-hee Choi

Suh-hee Choi is Assistant Professor, Tourism College, Institute for Tourism Studies, Colina de Mong-Ha, Macao SAR (E-mail: [email protected]).

Liping A. Cai

Liping A. Cai is Professor and Director of the Purdue Tourism and Hospitality Research Center, Purdue University, 700 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).