Impact of Liminality in Organic Agricultural Tourism on Well-Being: The Role of Memorable Tourism Experiences as a Mediating Variable

Abstract

Organic agricultural tourism integrates organic, toxin-free natural environments with agricultural industry and cultural lifestyles, creating a liminal space and experience away from everyday life. This study explores how this environment influences tourists’ memorable tourism experiences and subjective well-being. The research employed a questionnaire survey targeting tourists engaged in organic agricultural tourism in the Hualien and Taitung regions of Taiwan. This study used convenience sampling and collected a total of 440 valid questionnaires from 1 October to 30 December 2023. SPSS and PLS-SEM were employed as the analysis tools. The findings are as follows: 1. Developed scales for organic agricultural tourism liminal space, liminal experience, liminal place, and liminal benefits, validating their reliability and validity. 2. Verified that liminality has a significant positive impact on memorable tourism experiences, which in turn positively affect subjective well-being. 3. Identified and validated the mediating role of memorable tourism experiences in the relationship between liminality in organic agricultural tourism and subjective well-being. 4. Found that liminal experience has the most significant impact on memorable tourism experiences, followed by liminal benefits, highlighting the critical role of liminal experience in tourists gaining benefits from liminal spaces. 5. Expanded the application of liminality theory in tourism-related research, providing theoretical support for how organic agricultural tourism can deepen tourists’ memorable tourism experiences and enhance their subjective well-being through liminality. This study is innovative both in its theme and theoretical contributions, offering significant academic and practical implications for the field.

1. Introduction

Due to competition from the industrial and service sectors, the contribution of Taiwan’s agriculture to the Taiwan’s Gross Domestic Product has been declining annually [1] and its appeal to young people has also significantly decreased [2]. To alleviate the increasing competitive pressure on agriculture, the Taiwanese government is promoting the integrated development of agriculture and tourism through agritourism [3]. This initiative aims to provide farmers with additional income sources [1], revitalize rural areas, and promote sustainable agricultural development [4], thereby attracting the younger generation to stay and develop in rural areas. Additionally, agritourism offers visitors the opportunity to experience rural life and raises public environmental awareness by showcasing eco-friendly farming practices [5]. This helps protect agricultural resources [1] and natural ecological resources [4].

Taiwan’s eastern Hualien and Taitung regions, with their unique natural environments and cultural resources, offer fertile ground for the development of organic agritourism. Through proper planning and scientific management, organic agritourism can not only stimulate local economic growth but also promote environmental protection and cultural heritage, thereby achieving coordinated development of the economy, society, and environment [6,7]. Organic agritourism reduces the environmental impact of tourists on their destinations and fosters environmental awareness among visitors. This approach ensures that organic agritourism balances rural tourism with environmental landscape protection and enhances the sustainability of the ecological environment [4]. Consequently, it plays a crucial role in balancing ecological conservation with tourism experiences. Additionally, agricultural landscapes play a crucial role in agritourism. They are not only an advantage for developing agritourism [1,8] but also a significant factor in attracting tourists [1]. A sustainable rural landscape is a core asset for visitors to experience organic agritourism and achieve environmental sustainability [7]. Therefore, exploring the impact of the unique spaces shaped by organic agriculture on tourist behavior is a crucial area of study.

Liminality is a concept introduced by van Gennep [9] that is anthropocentric in nature [10]. It divides the path of ritual theory into three stages: the separation phase, the liminal period (marginal, transitional), and the re-entry phase. Liminality, when applied to the tourism environment, refers to tourist destinations as liminal spaces where travelers escape secular commitments during transitional periods [11]. In past research, the theme of agricultural landscapes has typically been explored in terms of their attractiveness and charm, examining their impact on visitor loyalty, attachment, and pro-environmental behavior [1,12]. The natural resources, organic farming practices, and toxin-free, friendly environment of Taiwan’s Hualien and Taitung regions create a unique setting that allows visitors to escape the urban hustle and bustle. This setting offers visitors liminal spaces and liminal experiences that are distinct from their everyday lives [13,14]. Consequently, an increasing number of studies are applying the concept of liminality to the study of tourism spaces [15,16].

Kim, Ritchie, and McCormick [17] argued that only those experiences that are remembered and recalled after the trip, which strongly impact the individual and are memorable, can be considered memorable tourism experiences. Organic agritourism provides visitors with liminal spaces and experiences that offer a break from everyday life. In this environment, visitors gain unique experiences, enjoy agricultural activities, learn agricultural knowledge and skills, heighten their awareness of environmental protection, and appreciate rural culture and leisurely living [5]. This type of tourism is characterized by its memorable experiences. Visitors may enjoy their journey through experiences but may not necessarily encounter or recall equally memorable experiences [18]. Therefore, understanding what liminal factors in organic farming travel influence memorable travel experiences is one of the aims of this study.

Organic agricultural tourism combines beautiful natural landscapes with rural life experiences, creating a liminal tourism space that allows visitors to escape the pressures of daily life. This experience enables them to enjoy the comfort and happiness found in nature, thereby achieving psychological relaxation and physical health benefits [5,6]. Moreover, organic agricultural tourism enhances visitors’ knowledge and appreciation of organic agriculture and environmental protection [6,19], providing them with memorable experiences and further boosting their well-being. Therefore, another purpose of this study is to explore how this memorable tourism experience affects tourists’ well-being.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Liminality

Travelers experience a transitional, ambiguous, or intermediate state [16,20,21], allowing them to engage with the environment and escape social control, responsibilities, and obligations. This also signifies the freedom of fantasy, imagination, and adventure. Liminal spaces in tourism encompass physical spaces [22,23], experiential spaces [16,22], and temporal spaces [24]. The transitions between these spaces involve shifts across different cultural or social experiences [25], demonstrating that liminal spaces in tourism provide an environment where tourists can escape their normal roles [26]. At tourist destinations, tourists can focus on activities that interest them, experience a sense of belonging, and engage in activities they enjoy [26,27]. However, as of June 2024, a search of the Web of Science (WOS) for 314 studies on agritourism reveals that none have investigated liminality in the context of organic agritourism [28].

Based on the studies by Darveau and Cheikh-Ammar [22], as well as Sang and Huang [16], the following is a refinement of the liminal concept discussed in four parts:

• Liminal space (LS): refers to a non-structured physical space that connects two structured regions, allowing tourists to temporarily break away from the routines of everyday life. Within this space, tourists can escape the strict rhythms of daily life and experience brief moments of escape [16,22];
• Liminal experience (LE): refers to liminal space that allows participants to immerse themselves, forget about daily chores, achieve physical and mental relaxation, and generate experiences of joy, harmony, and happiness [29,30];
• Liminal position (LP): refers to an experience where individuals integrate shared identities and community consciousness to reconstruct their normal societal roles [16,22,31], thereby fostering a sense of belonging and cohesion among some tourists [22,32];
• Liminal benefits (LB): refers to the value that tourists derive from liminal experiences, which can include self-reflection, personal transformation, self-improvement, changes in social or family relationships, and the attribution of special meaning to travel [16].

In this study, this form of liminality refers to the experience of tourists who escape the hustle and bustle of urban life and immerse themselves in the Huatung region. By temporarily distancing themselves from reality and engaging in local tourism activities and cultural experiences, they gain personal benefits from being in this environment.

2.2. Memorable Travel Experience

Understanding and enhancing the factors that influence visitors’ memorable tourism experiences (MTEs) can strengthen a tourism destination’s competitive advantage in the market [33]. Many studies have shown that MTEs are significant predictors of various tourism behaviors, such as revisit intentions [33], satisfaction [34], destination loyalty [34,35], place attachment [36], local food memory [37], well-being [38], and family cohesion [39]. Kim, et al. [17] conducted a study on creating memorable tourism experiences and proposed seven dimensions: hedonism, refreshment, novelty, local culture, knowledge, meaning, and involvement. These dimensions have been widely used to measure memorable tourism experiences [34,40,41,42,43,44,45].

Memorable tourism experiences directly impact tourist satisfaction [46], revisit intention [46], and loyalty [42]. They have become a driving force for destination and tourism industry development [47] and competitiveness [48]. Memorable tourism experiences refer to those that are remembered and recalled, which are closely related to tourists’ emotions and the environmental atmosphere [49]. When tourists experience pleasure stimulated by the external environment, it enhances their memory of the activities they have experienced, thereby forming memorable tourism experiences [38].

Liminal space not only embodies social practices [31] but also encompasses unique geographical perceptions, symbolic meanings, cultural imaginations, and the interweaving of social relationships, thereby creating a specific liminal experiential space. This definition emphasizes the liminal space of organic agriculture in Hualien and Taitung as a social and cultural construct, providing tourists with opportunities to experience temporary liberation while also offering the potential for unique cultural and social.

Organic farming provides natural agricultural landscapes, expansive field views, and nostalgic rural life scenes, offering tourists a sense of tranquility and openness [6]. This creates a unique liminal space that is distinct from their everyday environment [50]. Such liminal tourism spaces provide individuals with psychological space to explore and reflect on their behaviors and attitudes. Therefore, in this process, tourists create their unique evaluations and perceptions, forming memorable tourism experiences [17,38,51]. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H_1a. 

Liminal space (LS) positively influences memorable tourism experiences.

Organic agricultural tourism enables tourists to distance themselves from everyday life, deeply engage in liminal spaces, and freely experience leisurely rural living, thereby attracting them to explore activities and interests they enjoy while also improving their mood [4,12]. In the environment of organic farming, tourists experience the freedom and immersion of a leisurely rural lifestyle. Here, tourists explore activities and people of interest [12], experiencing a sense of freedom, comfort, and happiness in a liminal experience [6]. When tourists feel pleasure stimulated by the external environment, it helps enhance their memory of the activities they have experienced, forming memorable tourism experiences [38]. Liminal tourism emphasizes the connection between tourism experiences and the search for personal meaning, and the significance of these experiences makes them memorable [39,41]. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H_1b. 

Liminal experience (LE) positively influences memorable tourism experiences.

The present study examines organic agricultural tourism, emphasizing organic, non-toxic, and environmentally sustainable practices [6]. Through experiences in organic agricultural tourism, tourists reflect on their relationship with the environment, gain a deeper understanding of the importance of environmental conservation, enhance their identification with environmental protection efforts, willingly share ideas and practices for protecting organic agricultural environments, and become more actively engaged in safeguarding these environments [5,19]. Consequently, these experiences promote a sense of belonging and cohesion among some tourists towards environmental conservation.

Organic agricultural tourism experiences prompt tourists to reflect on the relationship between humans and the environment, increasing their identification with environmental conservation and their willingness to share ideas and practices related to organic farming and environmental protection [19]. This fosters tourists’ sense of belonging and cohesion towards environmental protection. Memorable tourism experiences are constructed based on tourists’ evaluations of their experiences, aimed at solidifying and enhancing positive memories of destination experiences [17]. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H_1c. 

Liminal position (LP) positively influences memorable tourism experiences.

Organic agricultural tourism provides a liminal space that is conducive to everyday environments, allowing tourists to learn organic farming knowledge and skills in a relaxed and autonomous setting. Additionally, it integrates environmental education that prompts contemplation on environmental conservation [4].

Tourists immerse themselves in the liminal space of organic farming, using liminal experiences to relieve stress and experience leisurely happiness [6]. They reflect on the meaning of environmental conservation, attributing health and environmental values to the organic farming tourism journey [19], thereby gaining liminal benefits. Liminal space allows participants to immerse themselves, forget about daily trivialities, and achieve physical and mental relaxation, resulting in joyful and harmonious experiences [29,30]. If a tourism experience brings benefits that are felt to be both physically and mentally uplifting, it is likely to be remembered as a memorable tourism experience [17]. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H_1d. 

Liminal benefits (LB) positively influence memorable tourism experiences.

2.3. Well-Being

Tourist destinations provide visitors with liminal spaces that are different from everyday life, offering them liminal experiences [13,14,16,22]. These experiences fulfill the demand for memorable tourism experiences and enhance visitors’ well-being [51]. Liminal spaces provide an experiential atmosphere for tourists, including tangible settings, social interactions, cultural symbols, and natural contexts. These spaces can offer visitors memorable tourism experiences and well-being from different perspectives [52]. Liminality theory has been revitalized [53], and many studies consider certain unique forms of tourism as liminal experiences [54]. However, empirical and systematic research on this topic (liminality, memorable travel experiences, and well-being) remains scarce.

Well-being is a subjective evaluation of whether people are living a good life, encompassing emotional and cognitive assessments of their lives. Engaging in enjoyable activities allows individuals to experience considerable happiness and minimal pain, leading to life satisfaction [55]. Organic agritourism offers beautiful natural landscapes and rural life experiences, enabling visitors to escape the stresses of daily life and feel natural comfort and joy, thereby achieving psychological relaxation and physical health benefits [5,6,51], creating memorable experiences for them. Research also indicates that natural environments provide benefits for physical and mental restoration [5,56,57] and enhance well-being [51,58].

Many environmental factors influence product sales, such as fresh air, clean water, and green spaces [19,59,60]. Environmentally friendly products create value and positively impact individual well-being [19,61,62]. Davis et al. [63] point out that the well-being people derive from natural environments enhances their commitment to environmental preservation. Tourists, in turn, positively affect natural resources and community biodiversity, making agritourism more likely to inspire the sustainable development of local resources [4]. This contributes to improved quality of life and higher levels of well-being [64,65]. The friendliness of a tourist destination increases well-being and thus enhances destination loyalty [1,19,66,67]. Organic agritourism environments provide tourists with opportunities to learn about environmental conservation, giving their travel experiences special significance. This enhances tourists’ memorable travel experiences and boosts their sense of well-being [58]. Accordingly, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H₂. 

Memorable travel experiences positively influence well-being.

3. Research Methodology

3.1. Research Site

The eastern region of Taiwan is separated from the western part by the Central Mountain Range, creating a unique terrain and spatial configuration (Figure 1). Consequently, it has not experienced the same economic boom as the west. Organic agriculture, which is a production method that pollutes the environment minimally, does not damage ecosystems, and provides consumers with healthy and safe agricultural products, has found an ideal setting in this area. The relatively isolated natural environment of the Hualien–Taitung region offers almost all the necessary conditions for the development of organic agriculture: clean water sources, high-quality soil, and a humid climate [68].

As of 2023, the population of the Hualien and Taitung regions is approximately 580,000. Hualien County, located on the eastern coast of Taiwan, covers an area of about 4628 square kilometers. Taitung County, situated in southeastern Taiwan, spans approximately 3515 square kilometers. Taitung’s economy is primarily agricultural, with key products including rice, sugarcane, and various tropical fruits such as lychees and longans. Hualien is an important agricultural region in Taiwan, known for its production of rice, tea (especially black tea), and fruits such as bananas and mangoes.

Additionally, the absence of industrial pollution makes Hualien and Taitung important bases for the development of organic agriculture in Taiwan. By integrating high-quality agricultural industries, healthy organic living, rural landscapes, and leisure tourism, a new vision of sustainable development for the Hualien–Taitung region is gradually taking shape. As consumers’ preferences for agricultural products have shifted towards diversity and refinement, with a particular focus on health and safety, sustainable, ecological, and organic agriculture has flourished in the Hualien–Taitung region in recent years [69].

Figure 1. Eastern Taiwan [70].

Figure 1. Eastern Taiwan [70].

3.2. Questionnaire Design

This study is primarily grounded in the theories of liminality, memorable tourism experiences, and well-being. The design of the items for the four dimensions of liminality is based on the following aspects: 1. Liminality space: items were designed around themes such as distancing from daily life, mood, scenery, and peacefulness [16,22,50]; 2. Liminality experiences: the focus here was on rural life, attractiveness, activities, and mood [5,12]; 3. Liminality place: items emphasized environmental awareness, the importance of environmental protection, and sustainability [5,16]; and 4. Liminality benefits: The questions were related to travel style, self-reflection, and exploration and thinking [12,16].

For memorable tourism experiences, the design was oriented toward different places, characteristics, curiosity, mystery, memorability, and love for nature [17,41,71]. The well-being items focused on feelings, an ideal life, an enjoyable life, daily activities, future attitudes, interpersonal relationships, and the living environment [19].

Regarding the above variables, this study adopts a seven-point Likert scale ranging from one (strongly disagree) to seven (strongly agree). Additionally, demographic variables encompass gender, marital status, age, education, occupation, place of residence, and income.

3.3. Data Collection

This study uses tourists who have previously engaged in organic agriculture tourism in the Hualien and Taitung regions of Taiwan as the subjects for empirical analysis. A model was established to examine the relationships between threshold, memorable tourism experiences, and well-being. To test the aforementioned hypotheses, this study collected relevant data through questionnaires. The survey targeted adult tourists aged 20 and above who visited the Hualien and Taitung regions for organic agriculture tourism. Convenience sampling was employed, and during the sample collection process, data were collected via the online SurveyCake platform.

Specific settings were implemented, such as allowing only one response per account and preventing submission if any questions were left unanswered. Additionally, the backend data were monitored to identify and remove invalid samples. Based on their expertise, the two authors eliminated responses that were completed in less than 50 s, those with consistent answers across multiple items, and those with demographic variables that did not match the target population.

The survey period was from 1 October to 30 December 2023, and 440 valid questionnaires were collected. According to Gefen et al. [72], the sample size for PLS-SEM is ideally greater than ten times the total number of items proposed. With a total of 27 items in this study, theoretically, a minimum of 270 questionnaires would be needed. This study collected 440 valid questionnaires, meeting the required sample size.

3.4. Analysis Tool

This study employs SPSS 21.0 and PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4) as analysis tools for conducting cross-sectional data analysis. In Smart PLS, the bootstrapping method estimates the standard errors and significance of model parameters through multiple resampling iterations (over 5000 times), which can help in presenting the sampling data’s normal distribution. Additionally, unlike covariance-based SEM, PLS-SEM has lower requirements for data distribution. It does not require data to meet the normal distribution assumption, allowing it to provide reliable results even when the data distribution is non-normal [73].

This study uses SmartPLS to verify the measurement model and structural model. 1. Measurement models examine the relationship between latent variables and observed variables. According to the recommendations by Hair et al. [74] and Hair et al. [75], when assessing the reliability and validity of each construct, four fundamental indicators must be considered: individual item factor loadings, Cronbach’s α, composite reliability of the latent variables, and average variance extracted (AVE) by the latent variables. These indicators must all meet the required standards. 2. This study uses variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) to construct and analyze a model, employing SmartPLS (4) developed by Ringle, Wende, and Will in 2005 as the analytical tool. This study used it to verify the path relationships and conduct hypothesis testing among the variables in the research model.

4. Analysis of Results

4.1. Demographic Statistics

The results of the demographic characteristics of respondents showed that “male” and “female” accounted for 49.5% and 50.5%, respectively. The majority of respondents were aged “32–41”, accounting for 47.0%, followed by “42–51”, accounting for 29.3%. Marital status was dominated by “unmarried”, accounting for 42.0%, and “married”, accounting for 55.2%. Education level was dominated by “university”, accounting for 75.5%, followed by “high school”, accounting for 12.7%. Occupations within “service” were the highest, accounting for 27.0%, followed by the “financial industry”, accounting for 22.3%. “The southern region” was the majority, accounting for 77.5%, followed by the “northern region”, accounting for 13.2%. Average monthly income “25,001–35,000 NT (763–1069USD)” was the largest, accounting for 23.4%; followed by “65,001 NT (1985USD) and above”, accounting for 22.3%. The specific data are shown in

Table 1. Descriptive characteristics of the samples.

Items	Variables	N	%
Gender	Male	218	49.5
	Female	222	50.5
Age (years)	21–31	66	15.0
	32–41	207	47.0
	42–51	129	29.3
	52–61	35	8.0
	62 and above	3	0.7
Marital status	Married	243	55.2
	Single	185	42.0
	others	12	2.7
Education	Elementary and middle	2	0.5
	High school	56	12.7
	University	332	75.5
	Graduate and above	50	11.4
Occupation	Civil servants	54	12.3
	Service industry	119	27.0
	Financial industry	98	22.3
	Freelance	55	12.5
	Industry	78	17.7
	Housekeeper	36	8.2
Place of residence	Northern region	58	13.2
	Central region	33	7.5
	Southern region	341	77.5
	East area	8	1.8
Monthly income (TWD)	≤25,000	47	10.7
	25,001–35,000	103	23.4
	35,001–45,000	69	15.7
	45,001–55,000	76	17.3
	55,001–65,000	47	10.7
	65,001 and above	98	22.3

:

4.2. Item Analysis

The primary purpose of this research is to measure the differences between subjects in each topic comparison or homogeneity test to determine whether the topics can identify the degree of response from different subjects. The correlation between the revised question and the corrected item-to-total must be more than 0.3. Additionally, the critical ratio (CR) value must reach a significant level (p < 0.05). Cronbach’s α values greater than 0.9 indicate excellent internal consistency [76]. Consequently, a total of 27 questions were retained in this research, as shown in

Table 2. Reliability and validity of the constructs.

Construct	Observed Variables		Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (SD)	Critical Ratio (CR)	Corrected Item-to-Total Correlation	Cronbach’s α	Reference
LS	LS1	Get away from the stress of daily life	5.60	0.866	21.854 ***	0.746	0.969	[13,15,54]
	LS2	Relax tense mood	5.62	0.887	25.855 ***	0.783	0.969
	LS3	Vast field scenery	5.60	0.856	11.496 ***	0.525	0.971
	LS4	The peaceful feeling of natural openness	5.69	0.799	21.664 ***	0.769	0.969
LE	LE1	Enjoy independent and leisurely rural life	5.87	0.730	12.814 ***	0.542	0.971	[4,9]
	LE2	Attracts me to explore human affairs	5.30	0.962	26.211 ***	0.822	0.969
	LE3	Engage in activities I enjoy	5.43	0.964	26.817 ***	0.844	0.969
	LE4	Improve my mood	5.70	0.841	18.797 ***	0.740	0.969
LP	LP1	Increase my recognition of environmental protection	5.60	0.916	19.024 ***	0.764	0.969	[4,13]
	LP2	Know more about the significance of environmental protection	5.65	0.900	19.629***	0.739	0.969
	LP3	Prefer organic agritourism for environmental sustainability	5.38	0.983	22.379 ***	0.751	0.969
LB	LB1	Reflect my true travel style	5.16	1.028	18.504 ***	0.665	0.970	[9,13]
	LB2	Reflect the real me	4.93	1.130	17.249 ***	0.640	0.970
	LB3	Willing to spend more time exploring and thinking	5.43	0.945	28.871 ***	0.893	0.968
MTE	MTE1	This place is different	5.37	0.948	23.740 ***	0.762	0.969	[43,45,71]
	MTE2	With local characteristics	5.47	0.975	22.489 ***	0.712	0.970
	MTE3	Make people curious	5.37	0.969	22.536 ***	0.754	0.969
	MTE4	Mysterious	5.11	1.070	24.319 ***	0.775	0.969
	MTE5	Experiential activities leave me with wonderful memories	5.49	0.969	26.542 ***	0.817	0.969
	MTE6	Experiential activities make me love nature	5.40	1.019	29.259 ***	0.803	0.969
WB	WB1	I feel very happy	5.44	0.950	24.749 ***	0.774	0.969	[28]
	WB2	Close to ideal life	5.11	1.107	21.620 ***	0.746	0.969
	WB3	Be satisfied with life	5.15	1.047	20.941 ***	0.743	0.969
	WB4	Be interested in daily activities	5.20	0.933	20.261 ***	0.752	0.969
	WB5	Be optimistic about the future	5.44	0.983	18.412 ***	0.702	0.970
	WB7	I have good interpersonal relationships	5.44	0.992	18.335 ***	0.598	0.970
	WB8	I think the living environment is very good	5.23	1.035	18.336 ***	0.615	0.970

*** p < 0.001.

.

4.3. Structural Model

This study utilizes bootstrapping (subsamples = 5000) in PLS-SEM to explore the measurement model, structural model, and validate research hypotheses separately.

4.3.1. Measure Model

In this study, the factor loadings of each construct range between 0.654 and 0.941, all above 0.5, and the T statistics are all significant, indicating that the degree to which each variable can be explained by the latent variable is high. The Cronbach’s α for the latent variables ranges from 0.848 to 0.920 (

Table 3. The factor loading of the measure model.

Observed Variables	Original Sample (O)	Sample Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (STDEV)	T Statistics (|O/STDEV|)	p Values
LS1 <- LS	0.883	0.883	0. 015	56.965	0.000
LS2 <- LS	0.910	0.910	0.010	94.686	0.000
LS3 <- LS	0.654	0.652	0.033	20.026	0.000
LS4 <- LS	0.894	0.893	0.011	80.455	0.000
LE1<- LE	0.710	0.708	0.029	24.881	0.000
LE2 <- LE	0.859	0.859	0.014	61.539	0.000
LE3 <- LE	0.900	0.900	0.011	85.581	0.000
LE4 <- LE	0.862	0.862	0.011	78.678	0.000
LP1 <- LP	0.941	0.941	0.006	159.307	0.000
LP2 <- LP	0.933	0.933	0.008	119.222	0.000
LP3 <- LP	0.867	0.866	0.015	57.675	0.000
LB1 <- LB	0.893	0.893	0.012	73.098	0.000
LB2 <- LB	0.868	0.868	0.013	64.949	0.000
LB3 <- LB	0.863	0.864	0.012	71.628	0.000
MTE1 <- MTE	0.866	0.866	0.014	60.119	0.000
MTE2 <- MTE	0.824	0.825	0.015	53.429	0.000
MTE3 <- MTE	0.848	0.848	0.017	49.622	0.000
MTE4 <- MTE	0.845	0.847	0.015	54.880	0.000
MTE5 <-MTE	0.818	0.818	0.020	41.849	0.000
MTE6 <- MTE	0.817	0.816	0.015	56.220	0.000
WB1 <- WB	0.808	0.808	0.018	44.097	0.000
WB2 <- WB	0.845	0.845	0.017	49.587	0.000
WB3 <- WB	0.897	0.897	0.011	83.711	0.000
WB4 <- WB	0.866	0.866	0.015	57.689	0.000
WB5 <- WB	0.826	0.825	0.018	46.992	0.000
WB7 <- WB	0.729	0.727	0.026	27.990	0.000
WB8 <- WB	0.777	0.777	0.022	35.457	0.000

and

Table 4. Construct reliability and validity of the measure model.

Construct Variables	Cronbach’s Alpha	rho_A	Composite Reliability (CR)	Average Variance Extracted (AVE)
LB	0.848	0.857	0.907	0.765
LE	0.856	0.881	0.902	0.699
LP	0.901	0.902	0.939	0.836
LS	0.858	0.884	0.905	0.708
MTE	0.914	0.915	0.933	0.700
WB	0.920	0.924	0.936	0.677

), and the composite reliability (CR) values range from 0.902 to 0.939 (Table 4), all above 0.7, indicating good internal consistency for all constructs. The average variance extracted (AVE) ranges from 0.677 to 0.836 (Table 4), all above the recommended value of 0.5, indicating that the variance of all measurement variables in the latent variables can be well explained by the latent variables, demonstrating convergent validity [75].

Discriminant validity refers to the degree to which constructs are distinct from one another. For each construct, the square root of its AVE must be greater than its correlation coefficient with any other construct. As shown in

Table 5. Discriminant validity (Fornell–Larcker criterion).

Construct Variables	LB	LE	LP	LS	MTE	WB
LB	0.875
LE	0.823	0.836
LP	0.704	0.745	0.914
LS	0.738	0.784	0.741	0.842
MTE	0.837	0.873	0.789	0.784	0.837
WB	0.679	0.749	0.678	0.722	0.778	0.823

Note: The square root of AVE is in bold.

, the data in this study demonstrate discriminant validity.

4.3.2. Structure Model

According to

Table 6. The structure model.

Path	Original Sample (O)	Sample Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (STDEV)	T Statistics (|O/STDEV|)	p Values
LE -> MTE	0.403	0.406	0.044	9.148	0.000
LB ->MTE	0.276	0.275	0.040	6.950	0.000
LP -> MTE	0.218	0.217	0.030	7.263	0.000
LS -> MTE	0.102	0.102	0.034	3.032	0.003
MTE -> WB	0.778	0.779	0.021	36.732	0.000

, LS, LE, LP, and LB have significant positive effects on MTE, with an adjusted R-square value (R² represents the proportion of variance in the dependent variable that is explained by the model) of 0.834, indicating the high explanatory power of the model. Among these, LE has the greatest impact on MTE, followed by LB. MTE also has a significant positive effect on WB, with an R² of 0.604, also indicating high explanatory power.

The model fit of the structural model, as indicated by the SRMR (standardized root mean square residual, a goodness-of-fit index used in structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the quality of model fit) is 0.089, which is close to 0.08, demonstrating good model fit. The f² value is used to determine the effect size of a specific predictor variable on the dependent variable, which should be greater than 0.02 [77]. In this paper, the f² values of LS, LE, LP, and LB for MTE are 0.02, 0.236, 0.108, and 0.136, respectively. Except for the weak influence of LS on MTE, the other variables have a moderate impact on MTE. The f² of MTE for WB is 1.530, indicating a high impact.

LS, LE, LP, and LB do not have a direct effect on WB. Instead, they exert an indirect effect on WB through the mediation of MTE, as shown in Figure 2 and

Table 7. Mediation effect analysis.

Path Analysis	Original Sample (O)	Sample Mean (M)	Standard Deviation (STDEV)	T Statistics (|O/STDEV|)	p Values
LE -> MTE ->WB	0.314	0.317	0.038	8.364	0.000
LB -> MTE ->WB	0.215	0.214	0.031	6.975	0.000
LP -> MTE ->WB	0.170	0.169	0.023	7.265	0.000
LS -> MTE ->WB	0.080	0.079	0.026	3.030	0.003

. The results indicate that the indirect effects of LS, LE, LP, and LB on WB through the mediating variable MTE are all significant. Among these, LE has the greatest impact on WB, followed by LB.

Based on the results of the analysis in Figure 2, the verification of the research hypotheses is shown in

Table 8. Tested result of hypotheses.

Hypotheses	β Coefficient	t Value	p	Result
H1a	0.102	3.032	0.003	Accepted
H1b	0.403	9.148	0.000	Accepted
H1c	0.218	7.263	0.000	Accepted
H1d	0.276	7.263	0.000	Accepted
H2	0.778	36.732	0.000	Accepted

. All hypotheses are accepted.

5. Discussion

5.1. The Discussion from Factor Loadings

In terms of factor loadings of observed variables for latent variables, liminal space (LS) has the highest loading for “relax tense mood”, indicating that the liminal space in organic agricultural tourism must have the characteristic of relieving stress and distancing from daily life [50]. Liminal experience (LE) has the highest loading for “engage in activities I enjoy”, showing that organic agricultural tourism provides interesting activities that can attract tourists to immerse themselves in the liminal experience [9]. Liminal place (LP) has the highest loading for “increase my recognition of environmental protection”, indicating that the eco-friendly and non-toxic environment can enhance tourists’ recognition of environmental protection [1,67,78]. Liminal benefit (LB) has the highest loading for “reflect my true travel style”, suggesting that through unique liminal spaces and experiential activities, the leisurely and slow-paced rural life allows tourists to feel the meaning of true life [79,80]. Memorable travel experience (MTE) is highest in “this place is different”, indicating that uniqueness is what makes travel experiences memorable [5]. Well-being (WB) is highest in “make people curious”, showing that travel is an important activity in life that can increase satisfaction and happiness [5].

Overall, liminal spaces help travelers relax, and engaging agricultural experiences are key factors in attracting tourists to immerse themselves in liminal experiences [27]. Through agricultural experiences, tourists can appreciate the importance of organic and non-toxic environments and experience authentic rural life. Moreover, unique liminal spaces and experiences create memorable travel experiences for tourists [39,41,71], thereby enhancing life satisfaction and well-being [29,30].

5.2. The Discussion from the Measurement Model

Liminal space (LS) significantly and positively influences memorable travel experiences (MTEs), reflecting the public’s desire to escape and relax amid high stress, social indifference, and crowded urban life [13,16,22]. The leisurely natural environments and rural cultural life offered by organic agriculture meet tourists’ needs for unique liminal spaces. These unique, novel, and meaningful experiences are more likely to be remembered, thus creating memorable travel experiences. Supporting research [7,38,39,41] suggests that in such environments, tourists are more likely to obtain profound and enduring travel experiences.

Liminal experiences (LE) significantly positively impact memorable travel experiences (MTEs), suggesting that liminal travel experiences contribute to creating lasting memories [14,81]. The liminal spaces in organic agricultural tourism allow tourists to escape the constraints of daily life, enticing them to explore new things, engage in their preferred activities, and enjoy autonomous and comfortable rural living [12]. Through participating in unique activities offered by organic and non-toxic agriculture, tourists can encounter novel and distinctive experiences that often leave them with memorable travel memories [39].

Liminal space (LS) significantly positively influences memorable travel experiences (MTEs), reflecting how organic agricultural tourism enhances tourists’ engagement in organic farming and environmental conservation through well-planned activities [7]. This involvement fosters a deeper understanding of environmental conservation among tourists, thereby increasing their preference for and respect towards organic agricultural tourism [19,78]. By immersing themselves in such meaningful travel activities, tourists are more likely to have memorable experiences that not only enhance their memory of the trip but also elevate their sense of travel value [39,82]. These findings highlight how organic agricultural tourism, by fostering greater environmental awareness through deepening environmental awareness, becomes a meaningful and valuable travel choice.

Liminal benefit (LB) significantly positively impacts memorable travel experiences (MTEs), demonstrating that through engaging in liminal spaces and experiences, tourists can relieve stress and experience a state of leisure and happiness [7]. This state encourages tourists to spend more time exploring and contemplating, especially regarding the significance of the environment and the importance of environmental conservation [19]. Such experiences imbue travels with special meaning and value [16], making them more likely to be remembered long-term and leave a profound impression [17].

Memorable travel experience (MTEs) significantly positively influence well-being (WB), illustrating how organic agricultural tourism offers unique liminal spaces, rural cultural experiences, and beautiful natural environments that are distinctly different from everyday life, attracting curiosity and a sense of mystery. Through agricultural experiential activities, tourists gain unique and memorable experiences that become part of their cherished memories [5,6]. The optimistic and accepting attitudes of rural residents and the organic, non-toxic environment encourage tourists to contemplate more deeply on the relationship between humans and the environment, as well as the value and meaning of life [6,19]. These reflections and experiences not only enhance tourists’ happiness and pleasure but also significantly boost their overall sense of well-being [1].

These research findings indicate that liminal space, liminal experience, liminal position, and liminal benefit all have significant impacts on memorable travel experiences, with liminal experience having the strongest effect, followed by liminal benefit. This suggests that in organic agricultural tourism, providing rich liminal experiences and promoting liminal benefits profoundly influence tourists’ experiences and perceptions [9,11,26]. Liminal space serves as the foundation of liminal travel, offering opportunities to escape from everyday life, primarily relying on natural and rural cultural environments [14,83]. However, it is the liminal experiences that play a crucial role in fostering the deep engagement and immersion of tourists in organic agriculture and local living environments. These experiences not only leave a profound psychological impression but also can trigger changes in life attitudes and values, which are referred to as liminal benefits [11,79].

5.3. The Discussion from Mediating Variables

This study verifies that memorable travel experiences act as mediating variables in the relationship between liminal space, liminal experiences, liminal places, liminal benefits, and well-being. Well-being, defined as the degree of self-perceived happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction [1], is a goal of life pursuits, and travel is one of the most important activities in life. Well-being is also a goal pursued through travel [1]. Applying liminality in the study of organic agricultural tourism, liminal space offers the opportunity for visitors to escape reality through nature and rural life culture [9,11,14,83]. Immersing in the authenticity of liminal spaces brings profound and unique memorable travel experiences [14,43,49,81], prompting reflection on the relationship between people and the environment and a consideration of the impact of travel on the meaning of life [71,84]. Amidst the trend of tourists seeking meaningful and memorable travel experiences [39,41], organic agricultural tourism fulfills the pursuit of memorable travel experiences, which are important factors influencing well-being [38]. This study verifies that memorable travel experiences in organic agricultural tourism are mediating variables in the influence of liminal space, liminal experiences, liminal places, and liminal benefits on well-being.

5.4. The Discussion from the Specialities of Organic Agritourism Sites

Organic agricultural tourism differs from other types of tourism in several key ways. First, organic agricultural tourism sites often emphasize environmental sustainability, ecological protection, and the promotion of healthy lifestyles. This contrasts with traditional agricultural tourism, which may focus more on showcasing and participating in agricultural production processes. For example, in organic agricultural tourism in Taiwan, visitors not only experience crop cultivation but also gain insights into organic agriculture’s environmental principles and techniques. This type of experience tends to attract tourists who are particularly concerned with health and environmental issues. Finally, tourists participating in organic agricultural tourism obtain unique travel meanings, such as well-being, enriched tourism experiences, and liminal values, distinct from those offered by other forms of tourism.

6. Conclusions and Implications

6.1. Conclusions

This study applied liminality theory to construct a model of the relationship between liminality in organic agricultural tourism, memorable tourism experiences, and well-being, validating the effective predictive ability of liminality on memorable tourism experiences and well-being. Liminal spaces demonstrate their significant application value in tourism as tourists seek to escape oppressive environments and pursue authentic and meaningful lives. Based on the concept of liminality theory, this study established scales for liminal space, liminal experience, liminal place, and liminal benefits in organic agricultural tourism, confirming the reliability and validity of these scales. This study further confirmed the significant positive impact of liminality on memorable tourism experiences and the mediating role of memorable tourism experiences between liminality in organic agricultural tourism and well-being. This research expands the application scope of liminality theory in tourism studies, breaking through past research frameworks.

Additionally, this study further verified the high predictive ability of liminal spaces in organic agricultural tourism for memorable tourism experiences and confirmed the significant influence of memorable tourism experiences on well-being. These findings underscore the importance of memorable tourism experiences in applying liminality theory to explore organic agricultural tourism. The research outcomes not only provide a foundation for future academic research on liminality theory in organic agricultural tourism but also offer theoretical support for enhancing the attractiveness and competitiveness of this type of tourism.

6.2. Implications

6.2.1. Theoretical Implications

This study uses liminality theory to explore organic agricultural tourism in Hualien and Taitung, Taiwan. Through the natural landscape, ecology, and rural life culture, organic agricultural tourism in Hualien and Taitung constructs liminal spaces distinct from daily life, attracting tourists to immerse themselves in these experiences. Visitors engage in activities that connect them with local residents, culture, and the environment, resulting in memorable travel experiences that enhance their well-being. The following theoretical implications are based on findings from the organic agritourism environment:

Validation of the Scales for Liminality Theory

This study applied the concept of liminality theory [16] to establish scales for liminal space, liminal experiences, liminal places, and liminal benefits in organic agricultural tourism. The reliability and validity of these scales were verified. This study supplements the existing literature on liminality theory in organic agricultural tourism and provides a foundation for its future academic application in this field. Additionally, it offers a theoretical basis for practical decision-making to enhance attractiveness and competitiveness.

The research findings indicate that liminal experiences have a significant impact on enhancing memorable tourism experiences for visitors. Through profound liminal experiences, tourists can create long-lasting memories during their travels, which subsequently influences their life attitudes and values. This theoretical insight broadens our understanding of how tourism experiences affect individual psychology and behavior.

Application of Liminality in Memorable Travel Experiences

Previous research on the impact of liminality factors on memorable tourism experiences has been relatively insufficient. This study verifies that liminal space, liminal experiences, liminal places, and liminal benefits have a positive impact on memorable tourism experiences and demonstrate significant predictive capability. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding among researchers and managers of how organic agricultural tourism can enhance visitors’ memorable experiences through liminality. Among the liminality factors influencing memorable tourism experiences, liminal experiences have the most significant impact, followed by liminal benefits. This study shows that while liminal space forms the foundational element of liminal tourism, its influence is temporary. In contrast, memorable experiences generated through liminal experiences persist long-term in visitors’ memories, influencing their life attitudes and values [58]. This research highlights the critical role of liminal experiences in generating liminal benefits from liminal spaces in the context of organic agritourism. Therefore, these findings are not only innovative in academic research but also hold significant practical implications.

Application of Memorable Tourism Experience in Organic Agricultural Tourism

This study underscores the significance of memorable tourism experiences in organic agricultural tourism. According to Kim, Ritchie, and McCormick [17], memorable experiences catalyze personal development and positive changes, enhancing well-being through increased positive emotions and life satisfaction. However, past research on the relationship between liminality, memorable tourism experiences, and well-being in agricultural tourism has been relatively scarce. This study not only verifies these relationships but also confirms that memorable tourism experiences play a mediating role in influencing well-being through liminality in organic agricultural tourism. These findings highlight the importance of memorable tourism experiences in applying liminality theory to the study of organic agricultural tourism.

6.2.2. Practical Implications

Management of Organic Agritourism

By understanding the importance of liminal experiences, tourism managers can design more engaging experience programs that help tourists create profound and lasting memories through participation in organic agricultural activities. Destinations with unusual, unique, novel, and special experiences are more likely to be remembered [38,39,51,71]. Therefore, in the process of destination management and development, it is recommended to maintain a leisurely and natural environment and create corresponding experiential activities; for example, revitalizing the unique architecture, agricultural techniques, culinary culture, and historical and lifestyle values of organic agricultural rural areas and integrating them into organic agricultural tourism activities. Through guided tours, visitors can feel as if they are immersed in the rural lifestyle and culture. Additionally, it is recommended to promote the establishment of slow-travel activities in organic agricultural rural areas, allowing visitors to freely and deeply experience rural life and reflect on their own life attitudes and values [12]. Such deep experiences can not only enhance the attractiveness and competitiveness of the tourism destination but also provide visitors with memorable tourism experiences and improve their well-being.

Liminal place positively influences memorable tourism experiences, particularly in organic agricultural tourism, which emphasizes organic, non-toxic, and environmentally sustainable practices [6]. Integrating environmental education into the tourism experience aims to help visitors understand the importance of the environment [19], thereby increasing their recognition of environmental protection. In organic agricultural tourism, the educational component plays a crucial role. By incorporating environmental education into the tourism experience, visitors can gain a deeper understanding of the value of organic agriculture and its contribution to environmental protection. This comprehensive tourism experience allows visitors to enjoy their travels while learning important knowledge about environmental protection, leading to a deeper appreciation of the sustainability of organic agriculture and its positive impact on the ecological environment.

Liminal benefits have a positive impact on memorable tourism experiences because tourists gain self-reflection and self-change from liminal experiences, thereby imbuing travel with special meaning and value [16], enhancing their memorable tourism experiences. It is recommended to maintain an organic and non-toxic environment in organic agricultural tourism, creating an organic, healthy atmosphere and a leisurely rural lifestyle. Through agricultural experience activities, tourists can immerse themselves in liminal spaces, leisurely and independently learning organic farming knowledge and skills and increasing their awareness of environmental knowledge and protection [4]. This immersive experience can prompt tourists to reflect on the leisurely and healthy rural lifestyle and inspire a longing for a better life [19,50], thereby enhancing their memorable tourism experiences. By combining environmental education with organic agricultural experiences, tourists can enjoy the pleasures of travel while also gaining profound educational significance and personal growth.

Memorable tourism experiences are an important mediating variable in the impact of liminal spaces on well-being and are key factors in attracting and satisfying tourists’ needs [85]. This highlights the importance of providing visitors with memorable tourism experiences. This study suggests that destination management and planning should focus on areas of genuine interest to tourists in organic agriculture, including agricultural production knowledge and technology, lifestyle, culture, traditional activities, farming environments, and food [86]. These elements should be incorporated into organic agricultural tourism activities and guided experiences.

By participating in organized guided tours, visitors can be introduced to the local natural landscape and ecological environment, allowing them to experience the beauty and purity of nature firsthand. Activities such as hiking, camping, and agricultural planting and picking can provide tourists with a deep experience of the natural environment, enhancing their awareness of environmental protection. These activities not only allow tourists to enjoy the favorable climate and beautiful scenery, seek different experiences, and escape their daily environment [65], they also enhance their well-being and satisfaction.

Marketing of Organic Agritourism

The findings of this study can guide the development strategies of tourism destinations, especially in organic agricultural tourism. By enhancing the design of liminal spaces and the arrangement of experience programs, managers can effectively improve the overall visitor experience, thereby increasing visitor satisfaction, likelihood of return visits, sense of life meaning, and overall well-being.

Since tourist participation deepens memorable tourism experiences [43], this study suggests that tourism businesses should strive to engage tourists more effectively in organic agricultural liminal space experiences, enhancing travel memories and increasing tourist value [39,82] by providing memorable tourism experiences. Additionally, organic agricultural tourism should focus its marketing efforts on potential repeat visitors to enhance their ability to re-experience memorable tourism [43], as destinations previously visited and providing authentic and memorable experiences are more likely to attract return visits [87].

The meaning of life is often found in the pursuit of meaningful experiences, which tend to have a lasting impact on memory [39]. Therefore, it is recommended that destination managers provide healthy dining experiences, such as offering healthy meals made with organic ingredients, allowing tourists to enjoy delicious food while appreciating the value of a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, providing comfortable accommodation facilities, such as eco-friendly lodges or organic farm stays with an organic and environmental philosophy, allows tourists to relax and unwind in a comfortable environment.

Finally, through interactive exchanges, such as arranging for tourists to communicate with local farmers and experts, sharing experiences and stories about organic agriculture, tourists’ sense of belonging, memorability, and well-being can be enhanced [38,39,88]. Through these measures, tourist destinations can not only attract new visitors but also retain old customers, further enhancing the overall quality of the tourism experience.

6.3. Limitation and Future Research

Firstly, this study applied liminality theory to construct a model of the relationship between liminality in organic agricultural tourism, memorable tourism experiences, and well-being. It verified the effective predictive ability of liminality on memorable tourism experiences and well-being. Sample collection was conducted using online surveys. Future research could benefit from combining online and offline data collection methods to enhance the robustness of the findings. Secondly, this study employed quantitative research methods. To gain a more comprehensive understanding and develop new models and constructs, future research should consider supplementing these quantitative findings with qualitative interviews, building upon the constructs established in this study.

Thirdly, convenience sampling has some limitations in terms of inference and practical application compared to random sampling. Future research is recommended to use random sampling methods to collect samples for more robust and generalizable findings.

Lastly, the model and framework validated by this sample are based on the context of organic agricultural tourism rather than other forms of mass tourism. Given the diverse characteristics of different regions and types of tourism, future research is needed to further verify whether these results can be generalized to other areas of organic agricultural tourism or to other forms of tourism.