In a new milestone for academic production at the Faculty of Administration and Economics at the University of Santiago de Chile, Dr. Enrique Marinao-Artigas, director of the Master’s in Marketing and academic at the Department of Administration at FAE Usach, published an article in the prestigious scientific journal Review of Managerial Science (Q1 in the Management category of the SSCI index). The work, entitled Antecedents of business tourist loyalty: the moderating role of familiarity and emotional and cognitive experiences, was co-authored with Dr. Karla Barajas-Portas, from the Universidad Anáhuac in Mexico, and Dr. Leslier Valenzuela-Fernández, from the Universidad de Chile.
The study seeks to understand the factors that determine the loyalty of business tourists to a destination, examining how perceived quality, reputation, trust and satisfaction interact in this process. It also explores the moderating impact of familiarity with the destination and the emotional and cognitive experiences of tourists. To do this, the researchers used a quantitative and experimental approach, applying a structural equation model based on surveys of more than 1,800 foreign business executives who visited Mexico City and Santiago de Chile.
As one of the most relevant findings, the study confirms that the perceived quality and reputation of a destination directly influence the loyalty of business tourists, and that familiarity and emotional and cognitive experiences strengthen these relationships. It highlights that the combination of environmental factors and the behavior of tourists generates a synergistic effect that enhances their intention to return and recommend the destination.
Dr. Marinao highlighted the relevance of these results in business tourism management, stating that “this study provides a comprehensive view of the key elements that foster loyalty in business tourism, which is essential for the strategic planning of cities seeking to position themselves as attractive destinations for investors and executives. Our findings are a solid basis for designing marketing and management strategies that maximize the experience of business tourists and, consequently, strengthen the competitiveness of these destinations,” he said.
The publication in Review of Managerial Science reinforces the commitment of the FAE Usach to the generation of high-impact knowledge and its contribution to the development of the discipline of marketing and management in the field of business tourism.
To access the full paper, CLICK HERE.