| The purpose of this study is to investigate satisfaction formation over the course of leisure travel experience, by tracing the experiential developments of leisure travel from anticipation, to on-site experience, and to recollection phases. In order to achieve this goal, this study integrates the multiphase design of leisure travel experience with expectation-disconfirmation theory. The current study posits that leisure travel experience is dynamic, and that the interactions between expectations and on-site achievement affect satisfaction across time.; Three research questions are addressed in this study: (1) To what extent do disconfirmation and satisfaction vary over the course of a leisure travel experience? (2) To what extent do disconfirmation and achievement of on-site experience affect satisfaction appraisals, respectively? (3) To what extent is expectation-disconfirmation theory applicable in understanding satisfaction of Grand Canyon backcountry overnight hikers?; Data were collected from 155 Grand Canyon backcountry hikers at four distinct times. The pre-trip questionnaire asked about expectations for setting conditions and on-site experience. The two on-site self-administered questionnaires asked about achievement of on-site experiences and satisfaction on the first night and last night of the hike, respectively. The post-trip questionnaire asked participants about the satisfaction of their trip. For pre- and post-trip questionnaires, participants had a choice between a paper-pencil and web-based versions.; The findings suggest that disconfirmation and satisfaction shift across time, and satisfaction was highest in the recollection phase, compared to the two on-site satisfaction assessments, by suggesting that people remember their past leisure travel experiences in a comparatively favorable manner. The findings further suggest that achievement of on-site experience, compared to disconfirmation, better predicts on-site satisfaction, while disconfirmation, compared to achievement, better predicts satisfaction in the recollection phase. The applicability of expectation-disconfirmation theory is a reasonable fit understanding overnight backcountry visitor satisfaction, especially when it is integrated with the design of multiphase leisure travel experience. |
