The American Journal of Management and Economics Innovations
115
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TYPE
Original Research
PAGE NO.
115-120
10.37547/tajmei/Volume07Issue08-09
OPEN ACCESS
SUBMITTED
29 July 2025
ACCEPTED
08 August 2025
PUBLISHED
21 August 2025
VOLUME
Vol.07 Issue 08 2025
CITATION
Yaroslav Boiko. (2025). Approaches to Building Customer Loyalty in
Fishing Tourism Destinations. The American Journal of Management
and
Economics
Innovations,
7(8),
115
–
120.
https://doi.org/10.37547/tajmei/Volume07Issue08-09
COPYRIGHT
© 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms
of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License.
Approaches to Building
Customer Loyalty in
Fishing Tourism
Destinations
Yaroslav Boiko
CEO, Rybatskaya Strelka Kyiv, Ukraine
Abstract:
This article presents a theoretical analysis of
approaches to building customer loyalty in the fishing
tourism sector amid shifting behavioral patterns,
increasing importance of intangible factors, and growing
relevance of the sustainability agenda. The study is
based on an interdisciplinary framework incorporating
territorial marketing, behavioral psychology, and
sustainable tourism concepts. The focus is placed on
comparing loyalty models grounded in trust, identity,
emotional experience, and perceived sustainability. A
content analysis of sources covering various types of
fishing tourism (experiential, recreational, cultural) was
conducted, identifying k
ey factors influencing tourists’
behavioral and affective attachment to destinations. It
was established that a universal trajectory of loyalty
formation involves a sequence: engagement in digital
interaction, trust formation, sustainable loyalty, and
value co-creation. Three theoretical models
—
service-
dominant logic, place identity, and service quality
—
were examined and compared in terms of focus, cultural
context, and applicability. The study highlights regional
differences in loyalty strategies and offers practical
recommendations for tourism operators, including
digital personalization, community development, and
emphasis on sustainable consumption. This article will
be of interest to tourism researchers, territorial
marketing specialists, and practitioners seeking to
increase repeat visits and ensure long-term audience
retention.
Keywords:
loyalty, fishing tourism, trust, place identity,
sustainability, engagement, value experience, service,
repeat visit, territorial marketing.
Introduction
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Fishing tourism, both in Europe and beyond, is
undergoing a transformation driven by a reappraisal of
the mechanisms that foster customer loyalty amid
evolving
behavioural
patterns,
environmental
constraints and heightened competition. The growing
prominence
of
intangible
elements
—
emotional
engagement, personalised experiences and alignment
with local identity
—
has become a decisive factor in
securing repeat visits, recommendations and sustained
consumer interest [4]. In this context, the surge of
interest i
n behavioural‐loyalty frameworks and value‐
perception models underscores the need to move
beyond traditional marketing tactics toward more
flexible, trust‐based strategies.
Particular attention in both scholarly and practical
debates centres on loyalty as a multi‐layered construct
encompassing cognitive, affective and behavioural
dimensions. A case in point is the design of specialised
angling routes that blend service‐infras
tructure
elements with natural authenticity and emotional
immersion [1]. Such offerings demand a reconception of
loyalty not as the by‐product of satisfaction alone but as
a conscious model of engagement and value‐driven
choice. This shift calls for moving away from
transactional management toward cultivating enduring
ties between destination and tourist, integrating these
connections into a broader tapestry of experiences,
lifestyles and identities.
Integrating emotional, behavioural and social factors
into customer‐experience management—
especially
within environmentally sensitive and culturally oriented
tourism segments
—
requires the development of
comprehensive theoretical foundations. These studies
are critical for crafting scalable strategies that support
the sustainable evolution of fishing‐tourism destinations
and enhance their competitiveness in an increasingly
turbulent market.
The aim of this research is to conduct a theoretical
analysis of approaches to cultivating customer loyalty at
fishing‐tourism sites, to identify the key behavioural and
value‐based parameters of loyalty, to substantiate their
role in sustainable destination development and to
outline directions for future scholarly inquiry.
Materials and Methods
The methodological foundation of this research lies at
the intersection of territorial marketing, social
psychology of tourism and the conceptual theory of
sustainable
development,
reflecting
the
interdisciplinary nature of the topic. The primary tool for
theoretical analysis was a qualitative content analysis of
international
scholarly
literature
encompassing
contemporary interpretations of customer loyalty
within fishing-tourism destinations.
The study drew on sources spanning a wide array of
approaches
—
from branding and value perception to
place identity, motivation and sustainability. Special
attention was paid to the work of Al Hazmi, Muhammad
[1], which elucidates behavioural mechanisms of loyalty
through the lenses of co-creation and trust. Additional
studies were included that view loyalty as an expression
of the tourist’s deep connection to the destination,
ranging
from
perceptions
of
environmental
responsibility [6] to engagement and emotional
experience [9].
The content analysis followed this sequence:
•
Identification of key theoretical constructs (loyalty,
identity, value perception, sustainability, trust);
•
Classification of loyalty frameworks (behavioural,
emotional, cognitive, normative);
•
Mapping of theoretical models onto types of fishing-
tourism destinations (conservation areas, cultural
sites, lakeside, coastal, etc.);
•
Determination of contextual factors influencing
theory applicability (geography, tourism type,
offering structure, value framework).
This analysis was complemented by a systematisation of
central concepts, organising terminology from the
literature and linking it to loyalty-formation approaches.
In particular, the notion of “embeddedness in lifestyle”
proposed by Van den Heuvel et al. [8] was interpreted
as the personal significance of fishing tourism to an
individual
—
a factor that explains the enduring desire to
return to a familiar destination, which is perceived not
as a one-off service but as part of personal identity and
way of life. Regalado-
Pezúa’s work [7] enabled loyalty to
be viewed as the outcome of three interrelated
components: emotional engagement, service-utility
appraisal and sense of social belonging. Alencastro [2]
highlights the importance of natural and cultural
elements in destination choice, emphasising value-
driven motivation and the quest for authentic
experience. A similar perspective appears in
Ramazanova et al. [6], where sustainability is framed as
an ecological category and a marker of tourist
responsibility and trust. Chong et al. [3] show that
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attitudes towards rules and restrictions can themselves
reflect levels of commitment and respect for the
destination, thereby influencing loyalty. Dai [4]
introduces the concept of place identity as a mediator
between motivation and genuine attachment, arguing
that tourists return to locales where an emotional match
with the environment has been formed. In Yfantidou et
al. [9], emotional and symbolic foundations of loyalty
are traced through analysis of visitor reviews, which
reveal sentiments such as “joy of recognition,” “sense of
memorability” and “desire to recommend”—
all
signaling a profound connection to place.
Thus, the sources reviewed reveal recurring
categories
—
engagement, significance, identity, trust
and perceived value
—
which, in varying combinations,
elucidate the mechanisms by which sustainable
customer loyalty to fishing-tourism destinations is
cultivated.
Results
The systematisation of scholarly approaches to
customer loyalty in fishing tourism revealed a clear
typology of factors influencing tourists’ behavioural and
affective attachment to destinations. This study sought
to classify the principal loyalty determinants according
to fishing-tourism subtype, taking into account the
dominant motivational and emotional drivers.
Literature analysis shows that different fishing-tourism
formats activate distinct psychological mechanisms.
Experiential tourism relies primarily on emotions,
engagement and the perceived significance of the
event
—
aligning with a value-based model of
participation and emotional immersion. For example,
Alencastro et al. [2] and Yfantidou et al. [9] emphasise
emotional richness and involvement as foundations for
lasting attachment.
In contrast, recreational tourism is more focused on
satisfying needs for rest, predictability and safety, where
cognitive
elements
prevail
—
trust,
expectation
fulfilment and overall satisfaction [3].
Cultural fishing tourism, particularly the so-
called “red
tourism” format, centres on place identity as the key
loyalty predictor. Dai et al. [4] demonstrate that a sense
of connection with a destination’s historical and cultural
context determines both the desire to return and to
recommend the site. Table 1 compares the distribution
of loyalty factors across fishing-tourism types.
Table 1
–
Comparison of Loyalty Factors by Types of Fishing Tourism (Compiled by the author based on sources:
[2], [4], [5])
Type of Tourism
Key Factors
Impact on Loyalty
Experiential
Emotional value, involvement
High
Recreational
Satisfaction, trust
Moderate
Cultural (red tourism)
Place identity
High
As Table 1 shows, high levels of engagement and
emotional resonance characterise both experiential and
cultural formats. Recreational tourism
—
geared toward
functional
needs
—
yields
comparatively
lower
behavioural loyalty, despite delivering satisfaction.
This gradation indicates that loyalty’s nature is not
universal: its structure varies with the depth of the
tourist experience, degree of symbolic identification and
mode of interaction with the destination. Accordingly,
strategies to encourage repeat visits must be tailored to
the specifics of the fishing-tourism product
—
from
heritage-focused excursions to richly emotional,
individualised experiences.
At the stage of theoretical analysis, a clear shift emerged
from purely emotional and motivational determinants
of loyalty toward more complex constructs involving the
cognitive appraisal of destination sustainability and
service quality. These dimensions play a crucial role in
driving repeat visits, as they establish the foundation for
long-term trust in a destination as a socially responsible
and predictable system.
Ramazanova et al. [6] and Regalado-Pezúa et al. [7]
demonstrate
that
environmental
and
social
sustainability are perceived by tourists as integral
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118
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attributes of a destination, capable of deepening
emotional attachment and encouraging return visits.
Anglers show a preference for locations characterised by
responsible resource management, stable employment
opportunities and cultural authenticity. In this context,
sustainability functions as a “value anchor,” uniting
moral fulfilment with reputational trust.
Concurrently, the classic metric of service quality
remains highly relevant. Although it often ranks below
sustainability in priority, service quality continues to be
a key driver of satisfaction
—
and thus an indirect
enhancer of loyalty. Research by Lankia et al. [5] and Van
den Heuvel et al. [8] indicates that perceptions of staff
accuracy, courtesy, safety and professionalism influence
overall satisfaction, which many models identify as a
mediator between service quality and loyalty. Table 2
offers a comparative evaluation of the relative
importance of destination sustainability and service
quality in shaping repeat-visit behaviour within fishing-
tourism regions.
Table 2
–
The Impact of Sustainability Perception on Tourist Loyalty (Compiled by the author based on sources:
[7], [9])
Factor
Importance Rating
Relationship to Loyalty
Destination sustainability
High
Direct
Service quality
Medium
Through satisfaction
Table 2 summarises these two principal factors affecting
sustainable loyalty. The direct correlation between
perceived sustainability and repeat-visit intention
supports the hypothesis that value-oriented variables
are increasingly influential in consumer decision-
making. Meanwhile, service quality continues to
regulate short-term satisfaction, particularly in
recreational and mass-tourism contexts.
Thus, in the contemporary fishing-tourism sector,
enduring loyalty cannot be accounted for by emotional
engagement or single-visit experiences alone. It
embodies complex cognitive-normative evaluations
—
specifically,
judgments
about
a
destination’s
sustainability, social responsibility and reliability of
service.
Discussion
The overarching logic of customer-loyalty formation in
the fishing-tourism sector can be mapped along the axis
of experience → trust → loyalty, with the potential
integration of value co-creation mechanisms. This
framework is most comprehensively demonstrated by
the model proposed by Al Hazmi, Muhammad and
Pangestuti [1], in which trust serves as the central
mediator and the ultimate outcome is sustainable
consumer behaviour expressed through loyalty and co-
creation of value. At the same time, comparing
theoretical approaches across diverse cultural and
geographical contexts reveals three principal models, all
of which are summarised in Table 3.
Table 3
–
Comparison of Three Models of Loyalty Formation (Compiled by the author based on sources [1], [4],
[5], [8])
Model
Underlying Theory
Focus
Characteristics
SMM → Trust →
Loyalty → Co
-creation
Service-Dominant Logic
Engagement
Applied in fishing supply
chains
Motivation → Identity
→ Loyalty
Place Identity
Identity
Relevant for thematic
tourism
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Service → Satisfaction
→ Loyalty
Service Quality
Quality
Common in Northern
European tourism contexts
As Table 3 illustrates, each model rests on distinct
theoretical premises and highlights unique mediating
variables. The Al Hazmi et al. model [1] emphasises
digital engagement and cooperative practices as the end
goals of loyalty, reflecting features of the Indonesian
business environment. In contrast, the place-identity
model [4] links loyalty to the symbolic perception of a
destination, which is particularly pertinent for cultural
and thematic tourism. The third model
—
based on
perceptions of service quality [6]
—
is predominantly
applied in the European context, where satisfaction is
driven by stability, transparency and service standards.
The differences among these models underscore the
necessity of culturally and geographically adapting
theoretical frameworks. The Indonesian model
prioritises trust and interactivity, whereas the European
model follows a service-
perception → satisfaction
sequence. Meanwhile, the identity model highlights the
importance of symbolic and motivational dimensions of
experience, a factor critical to promoting non-standard
tourism formats.
Analysis of the theoretical models of loyalty formation
highlights several key avenues for practical application,
especially for operators in the fishing-and-coastal
tourism segment. It is advisable to focus on three
complementary strategies: personalization of digital
communications,
social
engineering
through
communities, and an emphasis on local identity as a
marker of sustainability.
Findings derived from the Service-Dominant Logic
framework [1] demonstrate that digital engagement
—
via social media, interactive content and user-generated
reviews
—
creates a resilient trust loop that subsequently
translates into loyalty. Communication personalization
is the linchpin of emotional resonance, particularly
among experiential tourists [2]. In practice, this entails
deploying adaptive-content algorithms, retargeting and
trigger-based marketing that draws on memories of past
trips, behavioural patterns and responses to content.
Equally important is the systematic collection and
interpretation of user feedback as a means of cultivating
loyal communities. Tourists who participate in feedback
cycles are more likely to return to destinations where
they feel a sense of belonging. Maintaining a digital
community
—
through forums, personal-story pages and
the resharing of user content
—
builds an informal social
infrastructure around the destination brand. Hybrid
loyalty programmes that combine discounts with
symbolic recognition (badges, ranks, priority access to
excursions) prove especially effective.
Another critical focus is developing a narrative that
underscores
cultural
identity
and
sustainable
consumption. Research by Dai et al. [4] and Ramazanova
et al. [6] shows that highly conscious travellers respond
positively to content that highlights environmental
stewardship, local-community involvement, traditional
fishing methods and gastronomic practices. In this way,
the destination does more than sell a service: it
communicates values, amplifying its role as a lifestyle
choice.
Implementing these strategies requires a systematic
overhaul
—
from configuring digital-analytics tools and
moderating online communities to reworking the
semantic structure of marketing messages. Yet, the
resulting uplift in repeat visits, audience expansion and
strengthened trust justifies the necessary long-term
investment.
Conclusion
The analysis provided a systematic understanding of
loyalty as a multi‐component construct in fishing‐
tourism destinations, formed at the intersection of
emotional experience, symbolic identity, perceived
sustainability and trust. The study confirmed that
enduring consumer behaviour in this domain cannot be
explained solely by satisfaction or repeat visitation: it
rests on a deep affective bond with the place, its values
and its social atmosphere.
A typology of loyalty determinants emerged, varying by
fishing‐tourism segment. For experiential tourism,
engagement and event significance proved critical; for
recreational tourism, predictability and trust took
precedence; and for cultural tourism, destination
identity was paramount. These findings underscore the
need to tailor promotional strategies to the nature of
the tourism product and the audience’s behavioural
patterns. Additionally, sustainability’s role as both a
moral and cognitive category was shown to grant
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destinations ecological and reputational capital.
Perceptions of environmental and social responsibility
strengthen emotional attachment and encourage return
visits, particularly among conscientious travellers.
Nevertheless, service quality remains essential for short-
term satisfaction, especially in mass and recreational
contexts.
Comparisons of loyalty‐formation models revealed
culturally conditioned differences in engagement logic:
from digital co-engineering in Southeast Asia to the
service-
quality → satisfaction → loyalty sequence in
Northern Europe, and identity-based attachment in
thematic tourism. This highlights the necessity of
context-sensitive adaptation of approaches that reflect
local characteristics, target audiences and tourists’ value
orientations.
Accordingly, sustainable loyalty management in the
fishing-tourism sector requires integrating three
strategic pillars: emotional engagement through
personalized digital communication; identity building via
culturally enriched product offerings; and trust
consolidation through demonstrations of sustainability
and responsibility. Only a holistic application of these
strategies will enable operators to cultivate long-term
loyalty that transcends transactional relationships and
supports a destination’s resilie
nt growth amid
intensifying competition.
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