Antecedents of domestic visitor’s memorable experiences and gender difference: a heritage tourism context

ABSTRACT

This study explores the interplay between visitor engagement, authenticity, and destination image in shaping memorable tourism experiences (MTE) within the realm of domestic heritage tourism, as well as the potential moderating role of gender in these relationships. Data were collected in the historic city of Kashan, Iran through a self-administered questionnaire and a combination of Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and multi-group analysis was employed to test the hypotheses. The results strongly support the influence of visitor engagement, authenticity, and destination image on various dimensions of MTE. Additionally, noteworthy gender differences emerged, revealing that authenticity has a more pronounced impact on meaningfulness, knowledge, and involvement for female tourists. Moreover, distinct gender disparities were observed in the effects of destination image on these three dimensions. These findings make a valuable contribution to the tourism and MTE literature by emphasizing the significance of gender-specific perceptions and attitudes within the context of heritage tourism.

KEYWORDS:

• Tourist experience
• memorable tourism experiences
• heritage tourism
• gender differences
• Iran

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Siamak Seyfi

Siamak Seyfi is an Assistant Professor at the Geography Research Unit of the University of Oulu, Finland. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Department of Tourism Marketing of the University of Eastern Finland, and a visiting Associate Professor at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events, Taylor's University, Malaysia. Using a multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary approach and informed by diverse disciplinary perspectives, his research focuses on tourism mobilities, tourist behaviour, resilience, sustainability and politics of tourism and peace through tourism. Guided by generational and lifestyle theories, his recent research focuses on political and ethical consumerism with a special focus on the Gen Z cohort.

S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh

S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh is a Vice-chancellor professorial research fellow and Professor of sustainable tourism, at the School of Business and Law, Edith Cowan University, Australia. His research interest areas include sustainable tourism, heritage tourism and tourist experience and behaviour. He has published widely in top-tier journals. He is an editorial board and team member of more than 20 reputed tourism and hospitality journals.

Erose Sthapit

Erose Sthapit is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Marketing, International Business and Tourism, Manchester Metropolitan University. His current research interests include memorable tourism experiences, interactive value formation, sharing economy and Airbnb. He has published in different high-ranking tourism and hospitality journals including Journal of Travel Research, International Journal of Hospitality Management and International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

C. Michael Hall

C. Michael Hall is a Professor in the Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand; Visiting Professor at Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden; Guest Professor at Lund University, Helsingborg, Sweden and Docent at the University of Oulu, Finland. He is the co-editor of Current Issues in Tourism, and his research interests include tourism, regional development, global environmental change, food, servicescapes, environmental history, sustainability and World Heritage.