An exploratory study of expectation–importance–performance analysis with cultural tourists in Havana, Cuba

Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) is an efficient method for measuring two dimensions of a person's attitude on a given topic. The current study added a third dimension, Expectation, to determine if an individual's expectation about a cultural tourism experience impacts their rating of that experience's performance. The study, based in Havana, Cuba, gathered impressions from international visitors regarding 30 types of cultural tourism activities and amenities through an intercept survey. Results indicated that many Expectation and Performance scores were correlated. Additionally, some differences arose in Expectations and perceived Performance among varying age groups and length of stay. The use of this new scale (EIPA) would be valuable to local tourism managers as well as tourism researchers wishing to explore expanded uses of IPA, and should be tested in a variety of cultural contexts.