Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction: an analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM)

  • Published:
Quality & Quantity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study utilizes structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the positive effects of novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction in the Taiwanese package tour industry. Although prior research pays much attention to discuss package tours, none explores the positive effects of the novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction in the package tour industry. In order to fill this research gap, this study proposes three novel constructs—novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours—to explore their positive effects on tourist satisfaction in the Taiwanese package tour industry. The results of this study show that novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours positively affect tourist satisfaction. Therefore, tour operators can enhance the novelty, flexibility, and synergy of their package tours to enhance tourist satisfaction. Furthermore, this study suggests that Taiwanese tour operators should change their business models to adopt dynamic packaging entirely, because novelty, flexibility, and synergy of dynamic packaging are better than those of traditional package tours.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aksu A.A., Silva A.C.N.: A look for low season tourist profile: antalya region of Turkey example. Qual. Quant. 43(2), 317–332 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aksu A.A.: Gap analysis in customer loyalty: a research in 5-star hotels in the Antalya region of Turkey. Qual. Quant. 40(2), 187–205 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aktaş A., Aksu A.A., Çizel B.: Destination Choice: An Important - Satisfaction Analysis. Qual. Quant. 41(2), 265–273 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barney J.: Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. J. Manag. 17, 99–120 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bello D.C., Etzel M.J.: The role of novelty in the pleasure travel experience. J. Travel Res. 24(1), 20–26 (1985)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bharadwaj S.G., Varadarajan P.R., Fahy J.: Sustainable competitive advantage in service industries. J. Market. 57, 83–99 (1993)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blyton P.: The flexibility debate: implications for management research in the 1990s and beyond. University of Wales Cardiff Press, Cardiff (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowie D., Chang J.C.: Tourist satisfaction: a view from a mixed international guided package tour. J. Vacat. Market. 11(4), 303–322 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso J., Lange C.: A framework for assessing strategies and technologies for dynamic packaging applications in e-tourism. Inf. Technol. Tour. 9(1), 27–44 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardoso J.: Developing dynamic packaging systems using semantic web technologies. Trans. Inf. Sci. Appl. 3(4), 729–736 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang C.C.: Choice, perceived control, and customer satisfaction: the psychology of online service recovery. CyberPsychol. Behav. 11(3), 321–328 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang H.Y., Chang H.C., Huang G.L.: A study of service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty in Taiwanese leisure industry. J. Am. Acad. Bus. 9, 126–132 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang J.C., Bowie D.: Tourist satisfaction: a view from a mixed international guided package tour. J. Vacat. Market. 11, 303–322 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang J.C.: Customer satisfaction with tour leaders’ performance: A study of Taiwan’s package tours. Asia Pac. J. Tour. Res. 11, 97–116 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang J.C.: Taiwanese tourists’ perceptions of service quality on outbound guided package tours: an examination of the SERVQUAL dimensions. J. Vacat. Market. 15(2), 165–178 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen H.C., Chen K.S., Chang T.L., Hsu C.H.: An application of six sigma methodology to enhance leisure service quality. Qual. Quant. 44(6), 1151–1164 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiu C.-K.: Understanding relationship quality and online purchase intention in e-tourism: a qualitative application. Qual. Quant. 43(4), 669–675 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enoch Y.: Contents of tour packages: a cross-cultural comparison. Ann. Tour. Res. 23, 599–616 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ensign P.C.: Interrelationships and horizontal strategy to achieve synergy and competitive advantage in the diversified firm. Manag. Decis. 36, 657–668 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson K., Vaghult A.L.: Customer retention, purchasing behavior and relationship substance in professional services. Ind. Market. Manag. 29, 363–372 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans N.G., Stabler M.J.: A future for the package tour operator in the 21st century?. Tour. Econ. 1(3), 245–263 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Filiz Z.: Service quality of travel agents in Turkey. Qual. Quant. 44(4), 793–805 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell C., Larcker D.F.: Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. J. Market. Res. 18, 39–50 (1981)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goold M., Campbell A.: Taking stock of synergy, a framework of assessing linkages between businesses. Long Range Plan. 33, 72–96 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gratton C., Richards G.: Structural change in the European package tour industry: UK/German comparisons. Tour. Econ. 3(3), 213–226 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hair J.F., Anderson R.E., Tatham R.L., Black W.C.: Multivariate data analysis. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansemark O.C., Albinsson M.: Customer satisfaction and retention: the experiences of individual employees. Manag. Serv. Qual. 14, 40–53 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heung V.C.S., Chu R.: Important factors affecting Hong Kong consumers’ choice of a travel agency for all-inclusive package tours. J. Travel Res. 39(1), 52–59 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang L.: Strategic orientation and performance measurement model in Taiwan’s travel agencies. Serv. Ind. J. 28, 1357–1383 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Innis D.E., La Londe B.J.: Customer service: the key to customer satisfaction, customer loyalty, and market share. J. Bus Logist. 15, 1–27 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kah J.A., Lee C.K., Chung N.: Evaluating travel website motivational communication using a structural equation modeling approach. Int. J. Tour. Res. 12(6), 787–802 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kapasuwan S., Rose J., Tseng C.H.: The synergistic effects of strategic flexibility and technological resources on performance of SMEs. J. Small Bus. Entreprene. 20, 257–272 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kubaş A., Yilmaz F., Aktaş Y., Metin N.: Analysis of visitor decision making system when visiting natural recreation sites by multinomial logit model. Qual. Quant. 39(5), 615–623 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee T.H., Crompton J.: Measuring novelty seeking in tourism. Ann. Tour. Res. 19, 732–751 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levesque T., McDougall G.H.G.: Determinants of customer satisfaction in retail banking. Int. J. Bank Market. 14, 12–20 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin C.P., Huang H.N., Joe S.W., Ma H.C.: Learning the determinants of satisfaction and usage intention of instant messaging. CyberPsychol. Behav. 11(3), 262–267 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H.F.: Antecedents of virtual community satisfaction and loyalty: an empirical test of competing theories. CyberPsychol. Behav. 11(2), 138–144 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lopez-Bonilla L.M., Lopez-Bonilla J.M.: Postmodernism and heterogeneity of leisure tourist behavior patterns. Leis. Sci. 31, 68–83 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Methlie L.B., Nysveen H.: Keeping the customers satisfied. Strateg. Direction 16, 15–17 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • Miettinen R.: The sources of novelty: a cultural and systemic view of distributed creativity. Creat. Innov. Manag. 15, 173–181 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neal J.D., Gursoy D.: A multifaceted analysis of tourism satisfaction. J. Travel Res. 47(1), 53–62 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieto M.J., Santamaria L.: The importance of diverse collaborative networks for the novelty of product innovation. Technovation 27, 367–377 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliver R.L.: Whence consumer loyalty?. J. Market. 63, 33–44 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ovenden A.: Keep your customers happy and your competition will slowly fade away. TQM Mag. 7, 46–49 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pires C.P., Sarkar S., Carvalho L.: Innovation in services: how different from manufacturing?. Serv. Ind. J. 28, 1339–1356 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Poon A.: Tourism, technology and competitive strategies. CAB International, Wallingford (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  • Quiroga I.: Characteristics of package tours in Europe. Ann. Tour. Res. 17(2), 185–207 (1990)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rewtrakunphaiboon W., Oppewal H.: Effects of package holiday information presentation on destination choice. J. Travel Res. 47(2), 127–136 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhyne L.C., Teagarden M.B., den Panhuyzen W.V.: Technology-based competitive strategies-The relationship of culture dimension to new product innovation. J. High Technol. Manag. Res. 13, 249–277 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shunnaq M., Schwab W.A., Reid M.F.: Community development using a sustainable tourism strategy: a case study of the Jordan River Valley touristway. Int. J. Tour. Res. 10(1), 1–14 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Song H., Cheung C.: Attributes affecting the level of tourist satisfaction with and loyalty towards theatrical performance in China: Evidence from a qualitative study. Int. J. Tour. Res. 12(6), 665–679 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor P.: Measuring changes in the relative competitiveness of package tour destinations. Tour. Econ. 1(2), 169–182 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor P.: Oligopoly or contestable markets in the UK package tour industry?. Serv. Ind. J. 16, 379–388 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomson C.M., Pearce D.G.: Market segmentation of New Zealand package tours. J. Travel Res. 19(2), 3–6 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tourism Bureau of Taiwan: 2009 Annual travel report of Taiwan. Tourism Bureau of Taiwan, Taipei (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations: World tourism marks another record year with 842 million arrivals. UN News Centre, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • USTOA: New USTOA Consumer Survey finds destination loyalty drives vacation decision. United States Tour Operators Association, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wall G., Mathieson A.: Tourism: change, impacts and opportunities. Pearson Education Limited, Essex (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang K.C., Chou S.H., Su C.J., Tsai H.Y.: More information, stronger effectiveness? Different group package tour advertising components on web page. J. Bus. Res. 60, 382–387 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang K.C., Hsieh A.T., Huan T.C.: Critical service features in group package tour: an exploratory research. Tour. Manag. 21, 177–189 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang K.C., Jao P.C., Lin Y.S., Guo Y.Z.: Exploring attractive messages in group package tour newspaper advertisements. Int. J. Advert. 28(5), 843–862 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wong C.K., Kwong W.Y.: Outbound tourists’ selection criteria for choosing all-inclusive package tours. Tour. Manag. 25, 581–592 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto D., Gill A.: Emerging trends in Japanese package tourism. J. Travel Res. 38(2), 134–143 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoo S.B.: Management innovation for customer satisfaction. Bus. Korea 18, 46–47 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q., Vonderembse M.A., Lim J.S.: Logistics flexibility and its impact on customer satisfaction. Int. J. Logist. Manag. 16, 71–95 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q., Vonderembse M.A., Lim J.S.: Spanning flexibility: supply chain information dissemination drives strategy development and customer satisfaction. Supp. Chain Manag. 11, 390–399 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Business Administration, National Yunlin University of Science & Technology, Yunlin, Taiwan

    Yu-I Lee

  2. Department of Business Administration, Tamkang University, New Taipei City, Taiwan

    Ching-Hsun Chang

  3. Department of Business Administration, National Taipei University, 151, University Rd., San Shia, New Taipei City, 237, Taiwan

    Yu-Shan Chen

Authors
  1. Yu-I Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ching-Hsun Chang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yu-Shan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu-Shan Chen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, YI., Chang, CH. & Chen, YS. The influence of novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction: an analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM). Qual Quant 47, 1869–1882 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-011-9631-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-011-9631-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation