Tourists’ Perception of Morocco as a Tourist Destination: The Mediating Role of Interaction with Locals in Shaping Satisfaction, Revisit Intentions, and Word-of-Mouth

Abstract

Purpose: This study explores how foreign tourists perceive Morocco as a travel destination, focusing on the relationships between cognitive and affective image, satisfaction, interaction with locals, and subsequent behavioral intentions, namely, revisit intentions and word-of-mouth recommendations. Methodology: A quantitative research design was employed using a structured questionnaire administered to 316 international tourists visiting Morocco. The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) to test the hypothesized direct and indirect relationships among destination image, interaction with locals, tourist satisfaction, revisit intentions, and word-of-mouth. Main Findings: The findings indicate that both cognitive and affective images significantly influence tourist satisfaction, which in turn positively affects revisit intentions and word-of-mouth. However, contrary to expectations, interaction with locals does not mediate the relationship between satisfaction and tourist behavior. These results suggest that while local interactions contribute to the tourist experience, they may not play a central mediating role in shaping tourists’ post-visit behavioral intentions. Originality: This study extends destination image research by examining the mediating role of interaction with locals in the relationships among destination image, tourist satisfaction, revisit intention, and word-of-mouth in the Moroccan tourism context, an underexplored area. Implications: The study contributes to tourism literature by clarifying the role of host-guest interaction within the broader framework of destination image and satisfaction, with implications for destination marketing strategies in Morocco.