Tourist Satisfaction Dimension in Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Malaysia

Abstract

This paper aims to identify the tourist satisfaction dimensions in Kinabalu Park as a World Heritage Site, to come out with the tourist satisfaction indicators for responsible rural tourism framework at Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Malaysia, in terms of satisfaction and dissatisfaction dimension. One of the data sources to achieve this aim is the in-depth interview session with the tourist in Kinabalu Park, specifically the mountain climbers. The interview was conducted with Herzberg’s Critical Incident Technique (CIT), which is a method that asks the respondents to recall their exceptionally good feeling as well as their exceptionally bad feeling during their experience in Kinabalu Park. The data were analyzed thematically based on Driver’s Recreation Experience Preference (REP) scale to identify the tourists’ satisfaction dimension. Our study found that “scenery enjoyment” was the most prevalent domain for a satisfying experience or the source of good feeling. Along with the “scenery enjoyment”, there were other three emerging experience domains that could contribute to understanding the tourist satisfaction dimensions in Kinabalu Park.

Tourist Satisfaction at Nature-Based Tourism Destination Around Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

“…Thus, the mean score for each dimension indicates the degree of attainment for "the psychological needs to enjoy nature, to reduce tensions and to achieve something", "the need for security and to reduce tension", "the need to learn new things", as well as "introspection and to understand what life is all about". A content analysis (Patton, 2002) of the responses for the satisfying and dissatisfying experiences was carried out by identifying keyword/s for the source or factors for good experience (Driver et al, 1991) and factors for bad experience (Talib, 2011). The results of factors for satisfying and dissatisfying experience dimensions are presented in Table 3 and Table 4 respectively…”

“…Comprehensive studies assessing tourist experience in Sabah are limited specifically empirical evidence on the understanding of tourist experience and satisfaction (Chan, 2006). A few previous studies on experience assessment in nature-based tourism in Sabah include a qualitative study of eco-lodge experience in Lower Kinabatangan (Chan & Baum, 2007), as well as tropical forest recreation experience assessment in Kinabalu Park (Talib, 2011), nonetheless, could not provide the overall understanding on tourist experience and satisfaction in the various types of nature-based attractions available.…”