Tourists’ Satisfaction, Experience, and Revisit Intention for Wellness Tourism: E Word-of-Mouth as the Mediator

Abstract

Wellness tourism has grown popular and augmented the global market due to increasing healthy lifestyles. Based on the expectancy disconfirmation theory, the study aims to determine the antecedents and significance of tourists’ revisit intention for wellness tourism. A quantitative method has been adopted. Data was collected from 361 tourists at wellness centres in Malaysia, and structural equation modelling was used to analyze the measurement and structural model. The majority of respondents are female, aged between 21 and 30, unmarried, with an average monthly income of USD 2,000. The study found that tourists’ satisfaction was influenced by perceived value from social and emotional perspectives, while their experience was shaped by their emotional and quality perception of value content. Rewards had a significant impact on both satisfaction and travel experience. Tourists were more likely to recommend a wellness vacation if they were satisfied, but it was their unique travel experience that triggered revisit intention. E-word-of-mouth played a mediating role and revealed a positive relationship between satisfaction, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth. This study demonstrated the importance of determining the underlying factors to create tourists’ revisit intention. The implications from theoretical and managerial viewpoints provide insights to scholars and practitioners to revitalize the tourism industry after COVID-19.