Choice, Expenditure and Satisfaction of International Tourists to Kenya: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Abstract

Consumer satisfaction is an essential concept in customer relationship management in all types of (tourist) organizations. This paper investigates the determinants of tourists’ satisfaction in Kenya and their significance in tourism policy formulation. Data was collected for a total of 1,566 respondents in 2003-2004 by interviewing departing international tourists who had just concluded their holidays in Kenya. Satisfaction was analyzed by considering the valuation of attractions visited, concerns after experiencing the tourism commodity at the destination, and the assessment of quality and value for money. A LISREL model was estimated due to the presence of latent variables. The main findings of the study are that tourist expectations concerning attractions and their perception of quality and value determine satisfaction more than personal and trip attributes