A Tourist-Destination Bond for Heritage Tourism in Perspective of Emotional Attachment

Abstract

The research is to study the affectionate bond between tourist and heritage destination in the perspective of emotional attachment. It identifies influence factors to tourist’s emotional attachment to heritage destination with attraction, self-expression, and self-centrality. By the five dimensions from familiar, belonging, identified, dependent to rooting level, the emotional attachment is evaluated and studied the effect. A model for emotional attachment for tourist-destination bond in the case of heritage tourism is established. It establishes a cross research framework for tourist-destination bond of heritage tourism; a research paradigm of emotional attachment for service marketing of heritage tourism destination; and the research path of emotional attachment for city image of heritage tourism. The empirical research is studied in the case of West Lake in Hangzhou of China. By the regressive analysis on the date from questionnaires, it is supported of the hypothesis that the tourist’s perception of attraction, self-expression and self-centrality from heritage destination is positive related with emotional attachment. The practical implications for service marketing of heritage tourism are also suggested by emotional attachment strategies for theme, activity and image.