The current situation and development prospects of cruise tourism on Kefalonia Island: The relation between satisfaction and intention to revisit using structural equation modeling

Abstract

Today, cruise tourism is the fastest growing sector of the travel and tourism industry. Yet, it is a neglected area with limited coverage in contemporary tourism literature. Cruise tourism has been concentrated in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean regions. However, operators are looking for alternative and exciting destinations. The island of Kefalonia is a possible alternative for cruise tourism. The purpose of paper is to critically examine the potential for cruise tourism in Kefalonia. In particular, it presents the current state of cruise tourism in the island of Kefalonia and identifies its potential as a port-of-call by investigating visitors’ impressions, satisfaction and intention to return in the future. The paper also identifies the factors that affect the formation of perceptions by visitors. This paper is intended to provide valuable information to operators willing to develop cruise tourism in the island. First, a discussion about global cruise industry is conducted. Primary data collection is carried out in Kefalonia during the peak of the cruise season in the last quarter of 2017. For this purpose, appropriately constructed questionnaires were used and statistical analyses were conducted. The findings yielded an overall positive satisfaction outcome, though some level of dissatisfaction was documented as well. Finally, some promising directions for future research are presented in order to help the concerned authorities implement effective tourism policies and establish the island as a cruise destination.

Keywords: Kefalonia, cruise tourism, tourism development, tourism policies