The effect of travel motivation factors on satisfaction and loyalty towards Malaysia as a destination choice : a study of Indonesian tourists

Abstract

This study intends to identify the travel motivations of Indonesian tourists towards Malaysia as a destination choice and investigate the effects of push and pull travel motivations on satisfaction and loyalty. The research framework of this study is adopted from Battour, M. M., Battor, M.M., & Ismail, M. (2012), and the sample for this study was 384 Indonesian tourists. After analyzing collected data using PLS-SEM, six proposed hypotheses were accepted, and one proposed hypothesis was rejected. It can be concluded that both, the push and pull travel motivations have a significant and positive influence on tourist satisfaction, whereas only push travel motivation has a significant and positive influence on loyalty. Furthermore, satisfaction is found to mediate the relationship between push and pull travel motivations and loyalty. The results of this study can be used for destination marketeers and authorities to implement strategies and plans in order to satisfy the needs of tourists and make them loyal towards Malaysia as a destination choice.