Understanding the motivation of repeat visitors to Rome

Abstract

Tourism marketing studies and knowledge of the motivations of tourists’ repeat visiting behaviour are highly fragmented even in an increasingly saturated marketplace. The success of a destination should be guided by a thorough analysis of tourist motivations to return to the destination. This study has three aims: to examine the travel motivations of repeat travellers, to determine whether there is a significant difference in travel motivations among travellers with different demographic and trip profiles, and to verify whether motivations and satisfaction are valid predictors of destination loyalty for return visitors. To accomplish these goals, this study considers the particular destination of the city of Rome, one of the most visited locations in the world. The objectives are pursued through quantitative analyses conducted on 232 questionnaires completed by visitors to Rome. Based on the results, this study confirms the previous literature on the topic and contributes some additional findings. Moreover, various managerial implications are proposed.