| The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences of travel decision-making behavior of first time and repeat distant tourists visiting Malaysia. The study employed an eight-stages decision making model as a framework for the investigation; (a) attention and awareness, (b) knowledge and comprehension, (c) attitude and interest, (d) evaluation and preference, (e) intention to visit, (f) actual visit, (g) post-visit evaluation and (h) revisit. Only six stages of the travel decision-making processes are examined: the evaluation and intention to visit stages are not studied since all the respondents have completed their visit to Malaysia.;Interviews are conducted with 511 distant tourists departing Malaysia at main exit points. They were asked to rate their travel motivation to visit Malaysia, intensity of information search, types of sources solicited, number of countries visited, travel satisfaction and their intention to revisit Malaysia in the future.;The study showed that there are significant differences in travel decision-making behavior between first time and repeat distant tourists. These differences exit in their travel motivation, level of information search process, types of sources solicited and their travel satisfaction.;First time tourists: were found to be more culturally-motivated to visit Malaysia. They were also found to display an extensive information search behavior and solicited more range of commercial than personal sources of information. Their vacation satisfactions were mainly derived from their travel experiences and interaction with the service personnel.;Repeat tourists, on the other hand, are less culturally-motivated to visit Malaysia. They tend to exhibit limited information search behavior and solicited same range of commercial and personal sources of information. Their vacation satisfaction is mainly derived from their travel experiences.;The study also showed a positive correlation of travel satisfaction to the intention to re-visit Malaysia by both groups of distant tourists. Nevertheless, the result showed that repeat tourists have the highest correlation between travel satisfaction and the intention to re-visit Malaysia. The study further showed first time and repeat tourists were conducting a multi-nation tour with Malaysia as part of their travel itinerary. The only difference between the two groups is that first time tourists were visiting more countries than repeat tourists. |
