Assessing effect of Urban Identity on Satisfaction & loyalty of tourist (case study: Kerman)

Urban areas are one of the most significant areas which are visited by tourists, and create many chances in order to develop and to advance cities. Yet, urban areas make main significant part of ingredients and components of identity for different levels of society. Identity is a factor which differ a city from the other. Urban identity is an important factor of development and advance. The value the importance of urban identity and tourism development are that these urban identity components act as tourism attractions and sightseeing, so we should pay special attention to tourism satisfaction to result in loyalty. Although there are many researches about urban identity, but none of them study about the relation of urban identity with the destination satisfaction and tourist loyalty. According to the significance of city in order to develop tourism; purpose of this research is study influence of urban identity on tourism develop by measurement of amount of satisfaction and loyalty in Kerman city. Correlation-descriptive is method of this study. The data is collected by questionnaire (presence at places) and library. According to the Morgan table, by simple random methods, 285 persons of domestic tourists on Mrch 2017 in Kerman city is chosen, and they complete the questionnaire. The conceptual model of study is measured by pattern of the structural equation by use of Lisrel software.The results of the structural equations model show that the urban identity is an important factor of destination and tourist relationship, and influence straightly and meaningfully on the destination satisfaction (0.43), and on the tourist loyalty (0.58). The destination satisfaction (0.38) influences straightly and meaningfully on tourists’ loyalty. Whereas Kerman is a historical city, the tourism should be developed in domestic and local industry. Aspects of identity perform the impressive role of value to the city; they are one of the important factors of tourism development. These aspects should perdure desirable image of identity and cultural on tourists’ mind. According to the importance of tourism industry in Kerman city, as an industry which is significant because of making busyness and economic rise; keeping historical view, gentility and identity of the city is emphasized, in order to attract and satisfy tourist. So, satisfaction results in tourist loyalty, and afterwards development of tourism. Thus whatever the urban identity aspects retain their attraction and their quality, the tourist loyalty will increase and result in tourist development, with the satisfaction intermediation.