An Empirical Study on the Factors Affecting Destination Loyalty in Beach Tourism: Evidence from Bangladesh

Authors/ Publisher: Md. Rakibul Hafiz khan Rakib

Abstract:

This research explores the main factors shaping destination loyalty in Bangladesh’s beach tourism sector, focusing particularly on Cox’s Bazar, the longest natural sea beach in the world. In light of growing competition in the global tourism market, the study aims to identify the drivers of tourist loyalty and repeat visitation, which are crucial for safeguarding the sustainable growth of tourism destinations. Drawing on the destination brand image and brand loyalty theory, five potential determinants are examined- destination brand image, service quality, destination familiarity, environment management, and overall tourist satisfaction- and five hypotheses are developed. Data for the study were collected from 250 tourists in Cox’s Bazar through a structured questionnaire and convenience sampling, and the hypothesized relationships were examined using multiple regression in SPSS. The study findings unfold that four factors—destination brand image, service quality, environment management, and overall tourist satisfaction—have significant positive effects on destination loyalty, while destination familiarity showed no notable impact. This study suggests maintaining a strong brand image, enhancing service quality, ensuring environmental sustainability, and improving tourist satisfaction as key strategies for destination managers and marketers. The study fills notable research gaps linked to conscious tourist behavior at ecologically critical destinations, providing insights for future academic inquiry and strategic tourism planning in Bangladesh’s beach tourism sector. Limitations and avenues for future research are also discussed.

Keywords: Destination brand image, Service quality, Environment management, Overall tourist satisfaction, destination loyalty, beach tourism, Bangladesh.

JEL Classification: L83, M31, O53, Q56, Z3