The influence of novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction: an analysis of structural equation modeling (SEM)

This study utilizes structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the positive effects of novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction in the Taiwanese package tour industry. Although prior research pays much attention to discuss package tours, none explores the positive effects of the novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours on tourist satisfaction in the package tour industry. In order to fill this research gap, this study proposes three novel constructs—novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours—to explore their positive effects on tourist satisfaction in the Taiwanese package tour industry. The results of this study show that novelty, flexibility, and synergy of package tours positively affect tourist satisfaction. Therefore, tour operators can enhance the novelty, flexibility, and synergy of their package tours to enhance tourist satisfaction. Furthermore, this study suggests that Taiwanese tour operators should change their business models to adopt dynamic packaging entirely, because novelty, flexibility, and synergy of dynamic packaging are better than those of traditional package tours. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013