Determinants of repeat visitation among international tourists in Tanzania

Abstract

Repeat visitation is a critical driver of sustainable tourism revenue, yet the determinants of return behaviour among international tourists in Tanzania remain empirically under-examined. The study aimed to identify the factors that significantly determine repeat visitation among international tourists in Tanzania. A positivist philosophy and descriptive-analytical cross-sectional meta-analytic design were employed, synthesising 527 peer-reviewed documents, institutional reports, and destination studies, complemented by a structured survey of 384 international tourists sampled across principal entry points using stratified random and purposive sampling. Data were analysed using random-effects meta-analytic modelling, thematic coding, and descriptive statistics. Results indicate that destination satisfaction (r = 0.72), perceived value for money (r = 0.68), and service quality (r = 0.65) are the strongest predictors, while safety perceptions, cultural authenticity, tour operator professionalism, word-of-mouth intention, infrastructure quality, environmental sustainability, and visa facilitation constitute significant secondary determinants. The findings affirm expectation-confirmation, push-pull, and destination loyalty theories in the Tanzanian context, and provide policymakers, destination managers, and tourism operators with an evidence-based framework for cultivating international tourist loyalty aligned with Tanzania’s National Tourism Master Plan 2025–2035.