PERCEIVED VALUE AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN EXPERIENTIAL QUALITY AND VISITORS’ POST-CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOURS IN SELECTED KENYAN THEME PARKS

Abstract

Kenya's tourism industry’s full potential remains unexploited due to a lack of diversification. The industry is still based on beaches and safaris. Kenya Vision 2030 identified diversification products including theme parks, however, the sector remains underdeveloped. Visitor reviews on experiences in theme parks in Kenya indicate disappointment with service quality aspects including maintenance, safety, changing facilities, and organization of park activities. These may negatively affect the park visitors' experiences and post-consumption behaviours. Despite the significance of the sector to economies, studies on theme parks in Kenya and Africa remain scanty. Existing studies focus on the developed world. The studies have examined mega destination theme parks. No studies focused on small and medium urban theme parks despite their contribution to local economies. This study investigated the experiential quality, perceived value and visitors’ post-consumption behaviours in Kenyan theme parks. The specific objectives were: To establish the effect of experiential quality on visitors’ perceived value; determine the effect of visitors' perceived value on their post-consumption behaviour; establish the effect of experiential quality on visitors’ post-consumption behaviour; determine the mediating role of perceived value in the relationship between visitors experiential quality and post-consumption behaviour and establish the influence of visitor profiles on their evaluations of experiential quality, perceived value and post-consumption behaviours Kenyan theme parks. Cognitive appraisal and expectancy/disconfirmation theories guided the study. Concurrent mixed-method case study design was adopted. Population comprised visitors and managers to the selected Kenyan theme parks. Purposive and snowballing techniques adopted in selecting the six parks. Park visitors' population was assumed to be infinite. 384 visitors were sampled through the convenience technique. Both questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data. Narrative and thematic analysis were applied to analyse qualitative data. SPSS version 26 and Amos version 24 softwares were used. Confirmatory factor analysis was done for measurement models and structural equation analysis, independent sample t-test and Kruskal-Wallis H test were performed to test hypotheses. Findings showed that park visitors strongly agreed to the existence of three experiential quality dimensions including fun (𝑥̅= 4.54), surprise (𝑥̅= 4.22), and participation (𝑥̅= 4.20), and agree on immersion dimension (𝑥̅= 4.15). They rated the dimensions of perceived value as strongly agree for emotional value (𝑥̅= 4.47), and agree for functional value (𝑥̅= 4.15); strongly agreed for overall satisfaction (𝑥̅= 4.44); and behavioural intentions (𝑥̅= 4.33). Hypotheses test results indicated positive and direct effects of: experiential quality on visitor value; visitor value on post-consumption behaviours; and experiential value on post￾consumption behaviours in the absence of a mediator with an r2 value of 76.6%. Full mediation by visitor value on the relationship between experiential quality and post￾consumption behaviours. All dimensions of visitor profiles except for gender and frequency of visit influenced evaluations of either experiential quality, perceived value, or post-consumption behaviours. From interviews its evident that despite concerns on pricing visitors portrayed positive post-consumption behaviours. Concluded to achieve satisfaction and positive post-visit behaviours, parks should go beyond delivering experiential quality to ensuring value. Study recommended that park managers address visitor concerns, understand dynamics of visitor profiles on experiential quality, perceived value, and post-consumption behaviours, and TRA to develop a regulatory framework for the sector. Further research to focus on kids’ amusement parks and the effect of service quality on experiential in theme parks