Enhancing emotional responses of tourists in cultural heritage tourism: The case of Pingyao, China
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Heritage Tourism
Volume
19
Issue
1
First Page
91
Last Page
110
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
School
School of Business and Law
RAS ID
60714
Abstract
This study aims to examine the interplay between heritage tourists’ experiences and their emotional responses, and to identify the mediating effect of Memorable Tourism Experiences (MTE), drawing upon the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory. The study was conducted in Pingyao, a UNESCO-listed heritage city. Employing a convergent concurrent mixed-methods approach, this study combines quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (interview) methods to collect data. The results identified the positive effects of authenticity, nostalgia, and sacredness on MTE. Additionally, the study demonstrated that under the mediating effect of MTE, authenticity, nostalgia, and sacredness directly and indirectly affect subjective well-being and destination image. Although the direct impact of sacredness on destination image has not been definitively identified, the indirect impact mediated by MTE is positive and significant. This paper contributes to the research on tourist emotions and offers practical suggestions for the development of cultural heritage sites.
DOI
10.1080/1743873X.2023.2254420
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Rasoolimanesh, S. M., & Lu, S. (2023). Enhancing emotional responses of tourists in cultural heritage tourism: The case of Pingyao, China. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 19(1), 91-110. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2023.2254420