Effects of push and pull factors on satisfaction and loyalty of Saudi tourists toward Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

A great number of Saudi tourists prefer to travel abroad for tourism, limiting the contribution of the tourism market into the national income of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Tourists generally travel because they are pushed internally by their own forces and desires and pulled externally by the destination attributes and forces. This study aims to assess the push and pull motivational factors that drive Saudi tourists to travel to Dubai. It also investigates the casual relationships between their motivations, satisfaction and loyalty, proposed through a hypothetical model. Using the quantitative research approach, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed and data was collected from 409 Saudi tourists who had visited Dubai at least once in the last five years. The data analysis of this study went through two subsequent stages, namely, the measurement model testing and the research model testing. The test of the measurement model indicates that the reliability (represented by Cronbach’s alpha) and construct validity (represented by conformity factor analysis) of all the measurements were confirmed. The test of the research model indicates that the push (seeking knowledge, rest and relaxation, and escape) and pull (modern atmosphere, cleanliness/safety, and outdoor activities) motivational factors significantly and positively influence the Saudi tourist experience (satisfaction) with destination attributes, which has a strong effect on their future behaviour (loyalty). Consequently, tourism destination managers in Saudi Arabia should consider these identified push and pull factors and try to achieve high levels of Saudi tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty in order to attract them to travel domestically and increase the national income.