The effect of tourist satisfaction from tourist areas on word of mouth mediated by destination identity, Case study: Rudkhan and Masouleh castles

The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of tourist satisfaction with tourist areas on word of mouth through mediation of tourist destination identity among tourists of Qala-e Rudkhan and Masouleh (Fooman city). The research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive in terms of research method, which was performed using survey. The statistical population of the study included all tourists in the two tourist areas of Masouleh and Qaleh Rudkhan. Due to the uncertainty of the population of the study population, 385 people were determined as the sample size using the formula of Cochrane unlimited communities. Available sampling method was used for sampling. The research tools of the researcher-made questionnaire included the variables of tourists' satisfaction with the destination, destination identity, dependence on the destination, emotional attachment to the destination, social bond, memory of the destination and expectation from the destination. The reliability of the instrument was confirmed by using Cronbach's alpha test with a coefficient higher than 0.7. Findings showed that spatial attachment and its sub-branches are the main items of tourist satisfaction; Destination identity, dependence on the destination, emotional attachment to the destination, social bond, memory of the destination and expectation from the destination of tourists also affect oral advertising. From the innovation obtained in this research, it can be acknowledged that tourist satisfaction with tourist destinations has an effect on oral advertising; But this effect occurs through the mediating variable of destination identity