Does Sustainability Matter to Package Tourists? The case of Large-Scale Coastal Tourism

Abstract

[eng] This paper investigates if there are segments of large‐scale coastal package tourists (LCPTs) interested in sustainability, if current sustainability initiatives meet their expectations and if sustainability influences their satisfaction and intention to return. A survey questionnaire has been submitted to LCPTs in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, one of the world's leading large‐scale coastal destinations. A descriptive statistical analysis, a gap analysis, and a structural equation model have been developed. Findings reveal that LCPTs show a high interest in sustainability, which is a critical area that needs to be improved and that sustainability affects LCPTs' satisfaction and intention to return.