Linking Importance–Performance Analysis, Satisfaction, and Loyalty: A Study of Savannah, GA

Importance–performance analysis (IPA) has been widely used to examine the relationship between importance, performance, and overall satisfaction in tourism destinations. IPA implicitly assumes that attribute performance will have little impact on overall satisfaction when stated importance is low. However, this assumption is rarely tested. This study, for the first time, tested this assumption by including attributes in each IPA quadrant into a second-order structural equation model. Results indicate that attributes with lower ratings of importance in the “low priority” and “potential overkill” quadrants do not contribute to overall satisfaction, regardless of performance, while the opposite is true for attributes in the “keep up the good work” quadrant with higher ratings of importance and performance, thus confirming the validity of this assumption. This novel approach allowed us to take a fresh look at an old debate, and the results suggest stated importance may be more useful than previously thought. Theoretical, methodological, and managerial implications are discussed