Satisfaction is not enough: crowding, displacement and loyalty at a frontcountry iconic hiking destination - the Pulpit Rock in Norway

Abstract

The iconic Pulpit Rock in Norway is receiving more and more visitors every year and crowding has become an issue. Crowding and displacement belong to the most frequently studied concepts in outdoor recreation research while destination loyalty is a rather new area of research. Both concepts investigate the quality of experiences beyond overall satisfaction. This study investigates the links between the two. Quantitative data from 258 respondents was collected on-site at the Pulpit Rock and in form of an online questionnaire. Novel elements in this study included the investigation of crowding as an antecedent to behavioural destination loyalty, the operationalization of the displacement concept as behavioural intentions, and the search for overlaps between behavioural intentions related to loyalty and behavioural intentions in connection with displacement. In addition, the role of place attachment within these frameworks was studied. Findings suggested that crowding directly influences loyalty to a small extent, and that place attachment seemed to be irrelevant for perceptions of crowding and displacement. Moreover, small indications for overlaps between the concepts of behavioural loyalty and displacement intentions were found.