Search Results (126)

Gastronomic festivals play an important role in the development of tourist destinations by strengthening destination image, competitiveness, and visitor loyalty. This study examines how the perceived quality of the gastronomic festival Belmužijada influences visitor satisfaction, behavioral intentions (recommendation and revisit intentions), and the destination image of Svrljig. The research is based on a quantitative approach using a standardized questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS through descriptive statistics, a one-sample t-test, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses. The reliability of the measurement scales was confirmed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The results indicate that visitors perceive Belmužijada as an authentic gastronomic experience that contributes to the preservation of local tradition and culture. The perceived quality of the gastronomic offer and festival organization has a statistically significant positive effect on visitor satisfaction, which further influences their willingness to recommend the festival. In addition, the perceived positive impact of the festival on destination image significantly affects revisit intention. The findings highlight the importance of gastronomic festivals in shaping destination image and fostering visitor loyalty, particularly in rural and less developed tourism areas. Full article

Traditional Peruvian cuisine has become a globally recognized experience, but its impact on visitors to the Caral Supe archaeological site—one of the oldest centers of civilization in South America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site—has not been studied. The main objective was to explain the constructs of the perceived authenticity of traditional food, loyalty to traditional food, service quality at traditional restaurants, and tourist satisfaction with visits to archaeological sites, based on the experience economy theory. An explanatory study was conducted using a structural equation modeling approach (PLS-SEM), applied to a sample of 381 tourists who visited the archaeological site and consumed local cuisine at restaurants in the destination of Barranca. The findings confirmed significant relationships among the model’s constructs (p < 0.01). It is suggested that the perception of authenticity of traditional food is a determining factor for loyalty (R² = 0.743) and a driver of satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site (R² = 0.617), which constitutes the study’s contribution. However, the R² value for the construction of the tourist experience at the destination (R² = 0.301), the model does not fully capture the complexity of experiential processes at this particular heritage destination, which may depend on emotional, cultural, or contextual variables not included in this study. Satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site is primarily related to staff attentiveness, the quality of guide explanations, and safety. It is concluded that the interplay between satisfaction with the visit to the archaeological site, the perceived authenticity of traditional food, and the quality of service in restaurants is fundamental to enhancing the experience at the heritage destination, thereby positioning traditional food and archaeotourism. It is recommended that the public and private sectors design strategies aimed at generating authentic and sustainable experiences for visitors, strengthening factors such as the destination’s reputation, the positive image of the site, satisfaction with the trip at the destination, and the positive experience. Full article

Urban tourism destinations increasingly rely on specialized segments such as wine tourism. However, limited research examines how electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) and personal recommendations jointly influence destination loyalty through experiential and relational pathways in urban settings. This study develops and tests an integrative model linking e-WOM to destination loyalty through experience, trust, and satisfaction as mediating mechanisms, grounded in social exchange theory and expectancy-disconfirmation theory. Data were collected from 326 tourists visiting Jerez de la Frontera (Spain) via intercept surveys at transportation terminals and analyzed using structural equation modelling with maximum likelihood estimation and bootstrapping. All nine hypothesized relationships were positive and significant, collectively accounting for 89.3% of the variance in destination loyalty. Satisfaction emerged as the strongest predictor of loyalty, far exceeding the direct effects of experience and trust, while e-WOM exerted the strongest influence on experience. Indirect effects confirmed that e-WOM influences loyalty through experience and trust pathways. This research provides the first model integrating pre-visit communication influences with experiential and relational constructs to explain destination loyalty in an urban context. Findings indicate that urban destinations should prioritize visitor satisfaction as the primary loyalty driver, while strategically managing digital reputation and ensuring alignment between online recommendations and actual destination experiences. Full article

This study analyzes tourist loyalty in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve by integrating affinity-based segmentation and the Forgotten Effects Theory within a fuzzy logic framework. The objective was to identify how visitor affinities condition the indirect construction of loyalty in contexts of high environmental complexity. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 316 tourists using a non-probabilistic sampling approach. Using the Pichat Algorithm and the Forgotten Effects Theory, the research captured gradual membership patterns and mediated relationships that conventional models often overlook. Results indicate that, while age, particularly Generation X, acts as a connecting axis, postgraduate education levels generate a polarization of visitor perceptions across segments. Significant forgotten effects (up to 0.30) were identified, suggesting that variables such as satisfaction, entertainment, and relaxation act as mediating mechanisms between learning, perceived value, and the intention to revisit. This study suggests that loyalty is not constructed directly but is indirectly shaped by affinity-based visitor structures. It recommends that management strategies evolve toward environmental edutainment models and that marketing efforts be diversified according to differentiated visitor profiles. These findings demonstrate the utility of fuzzy logic for the strategic management of high-value ecological destinations. Full article

Sustainable coastal destinations offer a variety of natural and cultural activities that form a construct of motivations that influence tourist behavior regarding their willingness to return to and recommend the destination. In this sense, the present study aimed to achieve the following objectives: to identify the motivations that drive tourist demand in sustainable coastal destinations, to establish which motivations predict tourist satisfaction in coastal destinations, and to determine which motivations predict tourist loyalty in coastal destinations. There are behavioral variables to consider, such as the intention to return, willingness to recommend the destination, and propensity to speak positively about it. The study was carried out in Montañita (Ecuador), a major surfing city in Latin America with extensive potential for water sports. A total of 380 valid surveys were collected on-site for quantitative analysis. Multiple regression and exploratory factor analysis were among the methods used. The final results showed five motivational dimensions linked to tourism in coastal areas, including nature and culture, sun and sea, recreational and sporting activities, novelty, and social interaction. Among all these factors, social interactivity and novelty stood out as the elements that had the greatest impact on visitor loyalty and satisfaction, followed by the sun and beach component. The findings will serve as input for destination managers to develop sustainable management guidelines and are also a contribution to academic literature. Full article

Increasing recognition of food as a sustainable tourism product has led to further interest in how it can impact tourist experiences. This study examined the relationships between key constructs of food tourism experiences by utilizing the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework. Through an examination of perceived food authenticity, perceived restaurant quality, place attachment, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty, this research explored these constructs in a food tourism context. Data from food tourists in China were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test seven hypotheses. Results indicated that perceived local food authenticity influenced perceived restaurant quality, place attachment, and satisfaction. Perceived restaurant quality and place attachment also influenced satisfaction, while place attachment and satisfaction influenced destination loyalty. The findings confirmed all tested hypotheses, supporting the construct relationships indicated by the S-O-R framework and demonstrating how external stimuli and internal dynamics shape responses in a food tourism context. The findings underscore that authentic food tourism experiences can positively influence tourist perceptions, satisfaction, and loyalty. This has implications for destination sustainability, as authentic food tourism experiences can help to preserve cultural traditions and provide economic benefits to destination communities. Full article

This study specifies and validates a three-layer Structural Equation Model (SEM) that accounts for how tourists’ evaluations of destination attributes translate into loyalty; the model is based on UN Tourism’s sustainability pillars. Guided by service-science and Customer Experience (CX) logics, and adopting a Tourist Experience (TX) framework that treats Tourist Experience as a domain-specific case of CX, we define five first-order antecedents—Emotions (EMS), Local Culture (CTL), Authenticity (AUT), Entertainment (ENT), and Servicescape (SVS)—that load onto a higher-order appraisal, Global Perception (GEN), which in turn drives Destination Loyalty (LOY). Using ordinal indicators and a robust diagonally weighted least squares estimator (WLSMV), the model exhibits a good global fit (CFI/TLI = 0.970/0.968; SRMR = 0.049; RMSEA = 0.073 [90% CI = 0.070–0.076]). Standardized effects indicate that GEN is primarily explained by Emotions (β = 0.445, p < 0.001), Authenticity (β = 0.271, p < 0.001), and Servicescape (β = 0.241, p < 0.001), whereas CTL and ENT are not significant when competing with these other predictors. GEN strongly predicts LOY (β = 0.967, p < 0.001), mediating sizable indirect effects from EMS, AUT, and SVS to LOY. The findings corroborate a parsimonious mediational chain in which affective, meaning-related, and infrastructural inputs cohere into a single global appraisal that is proximal to loyalty. Our study provides a decision-focused blueprint for designing emotion-rich, authenticity-protecting, and well-orchestrated servicescapes to enhance GEN and, consequently, LOY; it adheres to established SEM reporting standards and articulates a holistic transactional conceptualization grounded in recent tourism literature. Improvements in GEN reflect not only better experiences but also designs consistent with long-run destination sustainability. Full article

As a representative case that embodies both the attributes of a Buddhist sacred site and those of a UNESCO World Heritage site, Mount Wutai provides a distinctive research setting for examining behavioral mechanisms in temple tourism. This study aims to construct an integrated model to systematically test the effects of enjoyment, memorability, attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on revisit intention (RI), while incorporating social media exposure as a moderating variable. Based on data collected through a two-wave on-site survey, this study analyzed 617 tourists in Mount Wutai and employed structural equation model to examine the relationships among the variables. The results indicate that all five psychological antecedents exert significant positive effects on revisit intention, among them, PBC demonstrating the most substantial impact. Further analysis reveals that social media exposure significantly moderates the relationships among enjoyment, memorability, attitude, subjective norm, and revisit intention, most notably in the “memorability–RI” relationship, whereas its moderating effect on the “PBC–RI” relationship is not significant. These findings not only enrich the theoretical framework by integrating emotional attribution, behavioral cognition, and digital media engagement but also provide practical implications for sacred tourism destinations, enabling them to enhance visitor loyalty through digital communication and experience optimization. Full article

Nighttime tourism has become a key driver of urban nighttime economic development. The nighttime tourism experiencescape (NTE)—comprising elements such as atmospheric lighting landscapes, culturally distinctive night markets, and diverse entertainment formats—creates an environment markedly distinct from daytime settings. This NTE significantly influences tourist experiences and contributes critically to the sustainable development of urban destinations. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework, this study investigates how the NTE shapes tourist loyalty. Empirical results indicate that the effect of the NTE on tourist loyalty is primarily mediated by place attachment, with place dependence demonstrating a stronger mediating effect than place identity. In the direct pathway, only the socio-symbolic dimension of the NTE exerts a significant positive impact on tourist loyalty. The study offers both theoretical and practical contributions: it reveals the mechanisms that influence tourist loyalty in nocturnal contexts and offers actionable insights into the sustainable management of nighttime tourism in urban destinations. Full article

Understanding destination image perceptions is critical for tourism destinations seeking to maintain competitive advantage and foster visitor loyalty. While the traditional literature suggests that first-time and repeat visitors differ significantly in their cognitive and affective destination image perceptions due to experiential differences, emerging evidence from destinations with established branding challenges these conventional assumptions. Thailand, as a globally prominent destination with sustained branding initiatives since 1998, provides an ideal context for examining whether visitor experience moderates destination image formation and loyalty outcomes. This study investigates differences in cognitive and affective destination image perceptions and destination loyalty between first-time and repeat international travellers to Thailand, applying the cognitive–affective–behavioural (CAB) model to examine how these constructs influence revisit and recommendation intentions across visitor segments. Data were collected from 392 international tourists visiting three major southern coastal destinations in Thailand (Phuket, Krabi, and Phang-Nga) through face-to-face surveys using purposive sampling. The sample comprised 185 first-time travellers and 207 repeat visitors. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with multigroup analysis was employed to examine structural relationships and test for significant differences between visitor cohorts using parametric, Welch–Satterthwaite, and permutations tests. Contrary to theoretical expectations, multigroup analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between first-time and repeat travellers across all examined pathways (all permutation p-values > 0.05). Both groups demonstrated equivalent perceptions regarding how cognitive image influences affective image, and how these dimensions affect revisit and recommendation intentions. Affective image emerged as the dominant predictor of destination loyalty for both segments, while cognitive image primarily served as an enabler of emotional responses. These findings challenge traditional assumptions about experiential differences between visitor types suggesting that mature destinations with consistent long-term branding may achieve perceptual uniformity that transcends direct experience. Destination marketing organizations should implement unified rather than segmented strategies, prioritizing emotional engagement mechanisms over rational attribute promotion to cultivate destination loyalty across all visitor segments. However, these findings are specific to coastal leisure destination and may not fully generalize to other destination types. Full article

This study aims to identify the variables that influence revisit intention and the theories most frequently employed in related research. This research adopts a systematic literature review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, encompassing the identification, screening, and synthesis of articles from the Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Emerald databases. The results indicate that customer satisfaction, destination image, experience, and service quality emerge as the most dominant variables. At the same time, constructs such as electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), place identity, and accessibility receive comparatively little scholarly attention. Moreover, the Theory of Planned Behavior constitutes the most commonly applied theoretical framework, followed by the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model, the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), and Cognitive Appraisal Theory. These findings reveal research gaps that provide a foundation for future conceptual model development. The study offers both theoretical and practical contributions toward strengthening strategies for fostering tourist loyalty. Full article

As destinations featured in films and television programs attract growing numbers of tourists, exploring the factors that sustain film tourists’ loyalty and advocacy has become increasingly important. This study explores the determinants of post-visit behaviors through the lens of cognitive appraisal theory (CAT), investigating how perceived authenticity, perceived value, and satisfaction shape revisit and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions among 436 Chinese film tourists visiting Thailand. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to capture both symmetrical and configurational effects. The SEM results reveal that perceived authenticity, perceived value, and satisfaction significantly enhance WOM intentions. The complementary fsQCA findings reveal multiple causal pathways leading to high revisit and WOM intentions. The study advances theoretical understanding by demonstrating the applicability of CAT to film tourism and showing how tourists’ cognitive evaluations and emotional appraisals jointly shape their post-visit behavioral intentions. The findings also offer practical guidance for developing authenticity-based strategies to foster loyalty and positive destination advocacy. Full article

Wine tourism has become a key element for the economic and cultural development of Spanish rural areas, traditionally excluded from major tourist flows. This study analyzes the motivations of wine tourists in Spain and their influence on perceived value while also considering the moderating role of perceptions generated during the visit. A total of 357 valid questionnaires were collected between October and December 2022 and analyzed using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Of the two hypotheses proposed, the positive influence of motivations on perceived value was confirmed, while the expected influence of perceptions on perceived value was not supported. The results highlight the importance of motivations as a determining factor for enhancing tourists’ perceived value and, therefore, their satisfaction and loyalty. These findings can be of great help to cooperatives and small wineries when designing wine tourism strategies and wine festivals that enrich the tourist experience and strengthen the positioning of destinations in the Spanish wine sector. Full article

This study aims to examine the determinants of tourist continuance intention in halal tourism in Indonesia and extend the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model by incorporating sustainable tourist citizenship behavior (STCB) and tourists’ emotional events and past halal experiences to provide a rounded understanding of Muslim tourists’ revisit intentions. This quantitative study employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data collected from 500 Muslim tourists who visited halal destinations in West Sumatra. The findings reveal that their STCB, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly influence their continuance intention. Moreover, the empirical findings indicate that tourists’ emotional events and past halal experiences positively affect the TPB constructs, further strengthening the behavioral outcomes. All the proposed hypotheses were supported by the model and highlight the critical roles of psychological, experiential, and behavioral factors in shaping tourist loyalty. The results of this study contribute to the theoretical advancement of halal tourism behavior and offer practical suggestions for destination management to enhance sustainable engagement and repeat visitation among Muslim travelers. Full article

This study investigates how multidimensional value and experience quality shape satisfaction and loyalty in shopping tourism. We extend the QVSL tradition by (i) specifying three hedonic value dimensions (entertainment, exploration, escapism), (ii) differentiating functional value into performance-oriented and money-saving facets, and (iii) incorporating epistemic value and experience quality as additional antecedents. We also model immediate behavioral outcomes (i.e., money spent and time spent) and test involvement as a moderating condition. Using path analysis on data from 413 mainland Chinese tourists in Japan, findings confirm that entertainment, functional value (for performance and money), epistemic value, and experience quality enhance shopping satisfaction. Functional values, epistemic value, and satisfaction drive destination loyalty. Money and time spent are additional outcomes of satisfaction. Involvement moderates the link between satisfaction and money spent. These insights offer strategic implications for Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) and retailers to optimize shopping environments and employee services, increasing tourist satisfaction, loyalty, and both time and money spent in the competitive shopping tourism market. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the use of composite-indicator path analysis; future research could apply longitudinal or full SEM approaches, broaden contexts, and test additional constructs. Full article