Examining the Influence of International Tourists' Destination Image and Satisfaction on Their Behavioral Intention in Penang, Malaysia

This study contributes to tourism and marketing literature by examining the relationships among tourist destination image, satisfaction, and behavioral intention through structural equation modeling. Data were obtained from a survey of 420 foreign tourists visiting Penang, Malaysia, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The findings supported the revisiting behavioral intention model, which indicated that overall satisfaction of a tourist is reflected on the image of the tourist destination. A significant relationship was observed between overall satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, destination satisfaction indirectly affected tourist loyalty through overall satisfaction. The tourist destination image increases the perceived satisfaction and fosters the behavioral intentions of tourists. The study developed and empirically tested a conceptual model how overall image and overall satisfaction affect the willingness of tourists to revisit and to recommend a specific destination to other potential visitors. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed in the conclusion.