A General model for analyzing the factors that influence tourists’ destination loyalty in rural areas

The customers relationship management, through the development of the neo-industrial economy, have become a strategic value resource for the achievement of competitive advantage by enterprises. The customer is more and more in the central place of the supply systems in a growing number of business areas. In marketing decisions, the analysis of consumer behaviour and the study of relationship among some determinants of purchasing processes become critical factors, especially in contexts characterized by high variety and instability of demand. It is known that the main objectives of companies are focused on profit and economic growth, but we must emphasize that in market economies, these results can be achieved, in the long run, showing superiority towards competitors regarding customers satisfaction. In this perspective, it is necessary to verify, if these considerations can be applied to the tourism sector and especially in the context of rural tourism. The increase in demand for tourist consumptions add a requirement, on the supply side, of high quality standards, it has produced a considerable increase of destination competitiveness. Consequently, the development of management strategies in tourist markets is aimed at increasing a total value offered in order to foster customers’ loyalty towards specific locality. Although the existing relationship between the level of loyalty shown by tourists and specific leisure services has been considered, the loyalty towards destination is still an important topic of investigation. On the basis of such considerations, this paper intends to investigate the evaluation of the tourists level of loyalty for specific destinations relating to rural tourism.