Travel motivation and tourist satisfaction with wildlife tourism experiences in Gonarezhou and Matusadona National Parks, Zimbabwe

Abstract

We investigated tourist motivation for visiting two African state protected areas, tourists’ wildlife tourism experiences, predictors of wildlife tourism experiences and overall satisfaction with the entire holiday or trip experience. Data were collected in Gonarezhou and Matusadona National Parks, Zimbabwe, in December 2015 using 128 questionnaire surveys. Tourists’ push factors for visiting national parks were ‘recreation and knowledge seeking’ ‘appreciating wildlife’ and ‘feeling close to nature’. Pull factors for the two parks were largely similar with common factors being abundance of wildlife, availability of different animal species, availability of different plant species, wilderness, beautiful landscape and peaceful/quiet environment. We established that different motivation factors had different influences on wildlife tourism experiences. Satisfaction with wildlife tourism experiences was predicted by experiences with wildlife interaction and satisfaction with prices charged in the parks, while overall satisfaction with the entire holiday/trip experiences was predicted by satisfaction with wildlife tourism experiences, enhanced by interpretation and interaction with wild animals. The study highlights that while understanding tourist motivations is important, it is also beneficial for park planning and management to understand the predictors of good wildlife tourism experiences. We recommend that marketing for the two parks need to consider the tourist heterogeneity and demographic-based needs in the development of different travel products and promotional programs. Management implications While marketing for national parks needs to emphasise more on factors that motivate tourists to visit the parks, it is important to factor in the heterogeneity that exists among park tourists. Hence, in predicting variation in tourist motivation to travel, their demographic profiles should be considered. To enhance wildlife tourism experiences, park management can provide more opportunities for tourists to learn about nature and ensure the availability of wildlife species through enforcing mechanism to reduce poaching and habitat destruction. Park management also need to enhance tourists’ opportunities to learn more about nature. This is necessary to increase the level of tourist satisfaction.