Key success factors in managing a visitors' experience at a South African international airport

Abstract

These days, visitors to airports are more discerning than before and continuously seek new and meaningful experiences. This approach has caused airports to evolve from being, simply, a point of transit for visitors into elaborate attractions; providing much more facilities and services. The notion of experiences is, however, an abstract concept which makes it difficult to measure and, furthermore, experiences differ from individual to individual. In this context, it is important that airport management should understand the type of experiences that visitors seek within an airport environment in order to create higher levels of satisfaction which, ultimately, would result in increased revenue.

The purpose of this exploratory research was to identify the key success factors that influence the experience of visitors in the context of an international airport. Determining the key success factors (KSF) may provide management with knowledge of those key areas within an airport that are viewed as necessary for a memorable airport experience by the visitors. Quantitative research was conducted by means of a self-administrated questionnaire and a total of 490 (n) questionnaires were obtained during the research period. A factor analysis identified seven KSFs which will facilitate airport management in creating and managing a memorable experience for visitors.