An Analysis of First Time and Repeat-Visitor Destination Images through the Prism of the Three Factor Theory of Consumer Satisfaction

The study examines first time and repeat visitor primary destination images through the prism of the factor theory of consumer satisfaction to expose the positive-negative asymmetry of their relationship with overall visitor satisfaction and word-of-mouth recommendation, and the differential impact of factor type on first time visitors and repeaters. It also subdivides repeat visitors on the basis of revisit frequency to reveal significant differences between repeater subgroups and between first time visitors and high frequency repeaters, which have been overlooked in previous research. Combining this theoretical approach with the examination of repeater heterogeneity has revealed the criticality of the destination's basic and performance factors; the former are potentially critical constraints on re-visitation for the large majority of visitors, while many of the latter have a positive impact on satisfaction and visitor recommendation but also have a disproportionately greater negative impact when their performance is poor. Recommendations are made for the management and marketing of the destination's image attributes in line with first time visitor and repeater requirements.