Jul 2026· Journal of ethnic and cultural studies· 0 citations· 74 references
Abstract
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.
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
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.
Peu Saha, Abhijeet Biswas· Management Decision· 0 citations
This study examines the multidimensional nature of perceived halal tourism benefits among foreign Muslim tourists and identifies market segments based on benefit preferences. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), K-means cluster analysis, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the findings reveal that halal tourism benefits encompass religious, social, emotional, and functional dimensions, indicating that Muslim tourists evaluate destinations through a holistic combination of religious values, comfort, safety, service quality, and emotional experiences. Three distinct segments were identified: tourists with high religiosity and gender ethics sensitivity, tourists oriented toward comprehensive Sharia compliance, and pragmatic tourists prioritizing convenience and safety. Significant differences among segments confirm the heterogeneity of Muslim tourist markets. The study further highlights that tourist experiences are influenced by the interaction of religiosity, socio-cultural factors, technology adoption, and sustainability considerations. By integrating a holistic experiential perspective with benefit-based segmentation, this research contributes to halal tourism literature and provides a foundation for developing adaptive, inclusive, and sustainable destination marketing strategies that address diverse Muslim tourist needs.
This study examines how sensory experiences shape destination loyalty in cultural night tourism. Drawing on the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, it explores how emotional experience and satisfaction contribute to the formation of loyalty in heritage-based night settings.
A mixed-method approach was adopted. Qualitative interviews were conducted to refine measurement items, followed by a pilot study and a survey of 521 Vietnamese tourists who had attended cultural night shows at heritage destinations. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to test the proposed relationships.
Sensory experiences significantly enhance tourists' emotional responses, which in turn increase satisfaction. Satisfaction is the only direct predictor of destination loyalty. However, the indirect effects of sensory experience on loyalty through emotional experience and satisfaction are not significant, suggesting that emotional responses alone may not translate into long-term loyalty.
The findings suggest that managers should focus on integrating sensory elements into coherent visitor experiences that enhance satisfaction, rather than relying solely on emotional engagement. The study also highlights the need to reconsider how experiential processes lead to loyalty in heritage contexts.
This study extends the S-O-R framework to cultural night tourism and provides evidence that challenges commonly assumed mediation mechanisms in experiential research.
Thi Huyen Pham, Nhat Anh Ngo, Thien Huong Ly et al.· Journal of Hospitality and T...· 0 citations
The post-pandemic tourism environment has intensified competition among destinations and transformed the factors that influence tourism success. While traditional tourism competitiveness has often been evaluated through visitor arrivals, tourism receipts, and market share, contemporary tourists increasingly prioritise meaningful, authentic, and satisfying experiences. Consequently, heritage tourism destinations must shift from attraction-based competition towards experience-centred strategies that encourage long-term visitor loyalty and revisit behaviour. This article presents a conceptual review of experiential destination competitiveness within the context of heritage tourism in Penang, Malaysia. Drawing upon Destination Image Theory (DIT) and Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT), the article examines how gastronomy experience, cultural heritage, service quality, and destination image contribute to tourist revisit intention through the mediating role of tourist satisfaction. Through a synthesis of tourism literature and empirical evidence, the study argues that experiential competitiveness is fundamentally a satisfaction-driven process in which integrated destination experiences influence behavioural outcomes. The article proposes an Experiential Destination Competitiveness Framework that positions tourist satisfaction as the central mechanism linking destination experiences to revisit intention. The findings highlight the importance of experience integration, expectation fulfilment, and visitor retention as strategic priorities for heritage tourism destinations. The study contributes to tourism literature by extending destination competitiveness research beyond traditional economic indicators and offers practical insights for destination managers and policymakers seeking to strengthen long-term competitiveness in increasingly demanding tourism markets.
Ziffa Binti Zubir, Norazah Mohd Suki· International journal of res...· 0 citations
Experiential tourism has emerged as a central strategy through which destinations in emerging markets differentiate themselves and cultivate long-term visitor commitment. Although destination image, tourist engagement, and destination trust have each been studied individually as antecedents of loyalty, comparatively little empirical work has examined how these mechanisms jointly translate multi-dimensional tourist experiences into destination brand loyalty within the specific context of emerging-market destinations. To close this gap, the present study develops and tests an Experiential Tourism-Brand Loyalty framework that integrates five experiential dimensions (sense, feel, think, act, relate) with destination brand image (DBI), tourist engagement (TE) and destination brand trust (DBT) as mediating mechanisms leading to destination brand loyalty (DBL). Data is gathered through structured questionnaire administered to tourists visiting destinations across emerging economies and examined utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Reliability of the measurement approach confirmed by indicator loadings, Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted, the Fornell-Larcker criterion, and heterotrait-monotrait ratio, while the structural model is assessed under path coefficients, the coefficient of determination (R²), predictive relevance (Q²), effect size (f²), and importance-performance map analysis (IPMA). The results show that the experiential tourism exerts a significant positive influence on DBI, TE and DBT, each of which, in turn, positively predicts destination brand loyalty; tourist engagement emerges as the strongest mediating pathway. This work contributes to the body of experiential marketing literature by expanding it to the emerging markets tourism scenario and provides practical insight for destination management organizations on creating distinctive tourist experiences.
Dr. Jagadish S. Biradar, Prabhu Biradar· Journal of Intelligent Decis...· 0 citations