Neurotourism Aspects in Heritage Destinations: Modeling the Impact of Sensory Appeal on Affective Experience, Memory, and Recommendation Intention

Stefanos Balaskas (), Theofanis Nikolopoulos, Aggelos Bolano, Despoina Skouri and Theofanis Kayios
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Stefanos Balaskas: Department of Physics, School of Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Kavala Campus, 65404 Kavala, Greece
Theofanis Nikolopoulos: School of Social Sciences, Hellenic Open University, 18 Parodos Aristotelous St., 26335 Patras, Greece
Aggelos Bolano: Department of Computer Engineering and Informatics, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Despoina Skouri: Department of Management Science and Technology, University of Patras, 26334 Patras, Greece
Theofanis Kayios: Department of Computer Science, University of the People, 225 S Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-36

Abstract: This study models how designable cues in digital heritage promotion shape advocacy through affect and memory. Relying on the stimulus–organism–response paradigm, we argue that three stimuli, Visual Sensory Appeal (VSA), Narrative Immersion (NI), and Perceived Authenticity (PA), trigger Emotional Engagement (EE) and become Destination Memory (DM), leading to Intention to Recommend (IR). A cross-sectional quantitative design with an online self-report survey was employed. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) we modeled 653 usable responses to test hypothesized stimulus–organism–response processes and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) tested heterogeneity across gender, age, education, recent contact, cultural-travel frequency, preservation interest, prior heritage experience, and technology use. Direct associations revealed VSA was a strong predictor of IR, and EE and DM predicted IR positively. NI and PA were not incrementally directly affecting IR. Mediation tests revealed partial mediation for VSA (through EE and DM) and complete mediation for NI and PA; across all stimuli, DM far surpassed EE, suggesting memory consolidation as the overall mechanism. MGA revealed systematic segmentation: women preferred visual and authenticity approaches; men used affective conversion, narrative, and authenticity-to-memory more; young adults preferred story/memory levers; higher education made authenticity pathways legitimate; exposure, experience, sustainability interest, and technology use further conditioned strength of paths. Results sharpen S–O–R accounts by ranking visual design as a proximal driver and placing EE on DM as the central channel through which narrative and authenticity have their influence. In practice, the research supports visually consistent, memory-backed, segment-specific strategies for sustainable, inclusive heritage communication.

Keywords: heritage tourism; visual sensory appeal; emotional engagement; destination memory; recommendation intention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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