Role of Cultural Tendency and Involvement in Heritage Tourism Experience: Developing a Cultural Tourism Tendency–Involvement–Experience (TIE) Model

Li Xu, Jie Zhang and Zhenghu Nie
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Li Xu: School of Geographic and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, China
Jie Zhang: School of Geographic and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, China
Zhenghu Nie: School of Geographic and Ocean Science, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Road, Qixia District, Nanjing 210023, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Tourists’ attitudes, especially when searching with a cultural tendency, can influence the tourism experience in cultural heritage tourism. Based on the cultural contact theory and tourist involvement theory, we try to reveal the tie or the relationship between local culture and tourism. Here, we define cultural tendency as the extent to which tourists positively intend to learn about the culture of the destination. Then, we examined the roles of cultural tendency, involvement, tourist experience, and satisfaction in heritage tourism and proposed a tendency–involvement–experience (TIE) model. Using a questionnaire with tourists in Mogao Caves, a world heritage site, we found that cultural tendency through involvement enhanced tourism experience and satisfaction. Moreover, the tendency of different cultures had various effects on tourists’ experiences. Prior knowledge did not play a moderating role on the relationship among cultural tendency and involvement. The findings underscore the importance of cultural tendency in creating experiences, and heritage tourism must address tourists’ preferences for a better experience.

Keywords: cultural tourism; structural equation model; cultural heritage; Dunhuang; historical legend; Buddhism culture; fresco art (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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