Jul 2026· Management Decision· pp. 1-30· 0 citations· 85 references
Abstract
True fulfillment of the journey to faith, culture and harmony lies in visiting sacred and religious destinations. Our research explores the factors that influence tourists' intentions to visit religious destinations.
We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to augment the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and self-determination theory (SDT) frameworks in the context of religious tourism in India. We analyzed the intentions of 670 tourists who visited the selected religious sites, exploring direct and indirect relationships within the proposed model using mediation and moderation analyses.
Our findings reveal that tourists' attitudes toward religious tourism are positively influenced by self-determination, beliefs, and social influence, which strengthens their intentions to visit religious destinations. The linkage between tourists' attitudes toward religious tourism and their intentions to visit religious destinations is further strengthened by natural and cultural characteristics, but is diminished by opportunistic behavior.
The research findings can help prospective tourists, local businesses, municipal corporations, policymakers, and tourism managers in understanding the dynamics of religious tourism.
Prior studies have not adequately explored the dimensions of government initiatives, social influence, and opportunistic behavior in religious tourism, underscoring the need for a thorough investigation. This study incorporates these constructs by extending the ELM and SDT frameworks. Furthermore, it examines how natural and cultural characteristics, along with opportunistic behavior, moderate the relationship between tourists' attitudes toward religious tourism and their intentions to visit religious destinations.
Religious tourism has emerged as a significant sector within global tourism, influencing visitor behavior, destination
development, and spiritual experiences. Jordan, which is home to several Christian holy sites recognized by the Vatican in
2000, is quite important in terms of pilgrimage, but from a practical perspective, it has still not been fully studied.
Understanding the factors that affect visitors' satisfaction and their intention to revisit is crucial for the maintenance of
religious tourism sites. This study aims to analyze the behavior of visitors within the scope of religious tourism at five
Christian holy sites in Jordan recognized by the Vatican. Specifically, it examines the relationships between travel motivati on,
religious tourism experience, religious tourism potential, perceived challenges, overall satisfaction, and re-tourism intention.
Data were collected from 500 visitors using a convenience sampling technique. The study employed Smart PLS 4 software to
analyze the data through partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The proposed hypotheses were tested
to assess direct, mediating, and moderating relationships among the study variables. The findings reveal significant
relationships among the examined constructs. Visit motivation has a strong positive influence on re-tourism intention. Religious
tourism experience and overall satisfaction act as significant mediators in this relationship. Furthermore, religious tourism
potential and perceived challenges moderate the effect of visit motivation on re-tourism intention. The study advances religious
tourism theory by integrating motivational, experiential, and contextual factors within a single framework. Practically, the
findings provide valuable insights for Jordanian tourism authorities and destination stakeholders to enhance visitor experiences,
address challenges, and strengthen the sustainability of religious tourism in the region.
Malek Bader, R. Alrousan, H. M. Al-Qudrah· Geo Journal of Tourism and G...· 0 citations
This study examines the influence of tourists' intercultural communication, tourism destination marketing methods, and visitors' individual cultural experiences on tourist satisfaction and loyalty in the Guangxi region of China. A total of 593 valid visitors completed questionnaires to engage in the study, and researchers utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the research hypotheses. The results indicate that travelers' intercultural contact, efficient marketing tactics for tourism destinations, and individual cultural experiences substantially improve visitor pleasure. Furthermore, tourist satisfaction significantly mediates the impact of intercultural communication, marketing methods, and individual cultural experiences on visitor loyalty. This underscores the interdependence of these aspects and stresses the necessity of crafting a whole experience for visitors. The findings highlight the importance of cultivating internal psychological resources, including cultural knowledge and flexibility, to enhance the institutional support techniques offered by tourist stakeholders. This study also makes a substantial contribution toward expanding cognitive dissonance theory. It has pragmatic consequences for governmental and tourist enterprises seeking to improve the experiences of both domestic and foreign travelers. As the tourism sector evolves, comprehending these dynamics will be crucial for formulating successful marketing strategies that appeal to varied tourist demographics, assuring sustained growth and competitiveness in the global tourism market.
Xiaoping Qin, Nitipon Putachote, Junaidi Junaidi· Journal of ethnic and cultur...· 0 citations
This research aims to analyze the community’s response to the development of halal tourist destinations in the Muslim-minority region of North Sulawesi Province and to identify appropriate strategies for developing halal tourism, based on internal and external conditions in this region. This study employed a quantitative, explanatory research design to examine Muslim consumers’ intentions to choose Muslim-friendly tourist destinations in North Sulawesi Indonesia, a Muslim-minority. This study uses the Partial Least Squares (PLS) equation model to analyze people’s preferences for halal tourism in North Sulawesi Province. The independent variables are attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control, and religiosity. Meanwhile, the dependent variable is the intention to choose a halal tourist destination. This research reveals that attitude, subjective norms, and religiosity positively and significantly affect travel intentions, whereas subjective norms have a negative effect. Furthermore, effective strategies for developing Muslim-friendly tourism include adjusting marketing and product development, implementing larger, more effective marketing campaigns, improving access to information and amenities, and developing religious infrastructure in tourist areas. This study contributes to the literature on halal tourism by extending the understanding of Muslim travel intentions in a Muslim-minority context and demonstrating the significant roles of attitudes, subjective norms, and religiosity. The findings imply that halal tourism development in North Sulawesi should adopt context-sensitive strategies that integrate targeted marketing, improved information and tourism amenities, and strengthened religious infrastructure.
Dwi Nuraini Ihsan, M. N. R. Al Arif, T. Samad et al.· FALAH Jurnal Ekonomi Syariah· 0 citations
Objective – This study examines how religiosity influences Muslim tourists’ intention to choose Islamic medical tourism destinations (IMTD) in Indonesia by investigating the mediating roles of attitude and motivation of piety.Methodology – A quantitative research design was employed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4.0. Data were collected from 200 Muslim tourists who were aware of the IMTD. Four constructs—religiosity, attitude, behavioral intention, and motivation of piety—were measured, and the proposed direct and indirect relationships were tested using the bootstrapping procedure at a 5% significance level.Findings – The results reveal that religiosity has a significant positive effect on both attitudes and behavioral intentions. Religiosity also enhances the motivation for piety directly and indirectly through behavioral intention. However, attitude is negatively associated with motivation of piety, suggesting the presence of cognitive–spiritual dissonance in tourists’ decision making. Furthermore, behavioral intention serves as a stronger mediating mechanism than attitude in explaining the influence of religiosity on the motivation of piety.Implications – The findings suggest that IMTD managers and policymakers should prioritize strategies that strengthen Muslim tourists’ behavioral intentions by integrating religious values into destination branding, service design, and promotional activities, rather than relying solely on favorable attitudes.Originality – This study extends the Islamic medical tourism literature by demonstrating that religiosity shapes tourists’ motivation for piety through distinct psychological pathways. It further identifies behavioral intention as a more influential mediating mechanism than attitude, offering new insights into Muslim tourists’ destination-choice behavior.
Firdaus Firdaus, Zailani Abdullah, Andro Dewantara Noegroho et al.· Asian Journal of Islamic Man...· 0 citations
This study examines the effect of cultural attractions on tourist satisfaction and its subsequent impact on tourist loyalty. It also investigates differences between first-time and repeat visitors using a multi-group analysis approach. Data were collected from tourists visiting Malioboro, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, using a self-administered questionnaire and a convenience sampling technique. The study employs Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), along with Measurement Invariance of Composite Models (MICOM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). The results reveal that cultural attractions significantly influence tourist satisfaction, which in turn strongly affects tourist loyalty. However, other destination attributes, such as general attractions, heritage attractions, and supporting facilities, do not show significant effects on satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings indicate significant differences between first-time and repeat visitors in the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty. This study contributes to the cultural tourism literature by highlighting the critical role of cultural attractions in enhancing visitor satisfaction and encouraging revisit intentions. The results also provide managerial implications for destination managers in developing effective cultural tourism strategies.
Rio Dhani Laksana, Intan Shaferi, Juni Supriyanto· Proceedings of the Internati...· 0 citations
This study investigates whether tourism provisions aligned with Islamic principles shape Muslim travelers’ willingness to select a nature-based destination. Visitors’ overall perception of the place was positioned as a mediating mechanism, whereas personal religiosity was examined as a boundary condition. The investigation took place at Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and involved Muslim travelers who had previously visited the site. Using an explanatory quantitative approach, survey responses were obtained from 235 participants selected through purposive criteria. SmartPLS 4 was used to estimate a partial least squares structural equation model. The empirical evidence reveals no significant direct pathway between Muslim-friendly tourism provisions and travelers’ future visitation willingness. However, faith-sensitive facilities and services improve visitors’ overall evaluation of the location, which subsequently increases their likelihood of choosing it. Indirect-effect testing shows that perceptions of the site connect Muslim-oriented attributes with travel willingness. Moreover, this relationship becomes stronger among individuals with higher religious commitment, confirming religiosity’s conditional role. Overall, Muslim travelers appear to respond less to the mere presence of Islamic-oriented facilities than to the favorable impressions generated through them. These findings extend Muslim-oriented tourism literature and offer destination administrators practical considerations for strengthening services, destination management, and public perceptions.
Alfadhila Taufani, B. Suryawardani, Laksmi Saraswati Hadiansyah· Dinasti International Journa...· 0 citations