Analysis of the Mediating Role of Place Attachment in the Link between Tourists’ Authentic Experiences of, Involvement in, and Loyalty to Rural Tourism

Abstract

The sustainable development of rural tourism is conducive to awakening “sleeping” resources, upgrading the industrial structure in rural areas, enhancing the revitalization ability of rural areas, accelerating the construction of cultural tourism, and promoting the strategy of rural revitalization. The loyalty of tourists has been considered as an important construct to describe the relationship between rural tourism growth and travelers’ future behavioral intentions. This study aims to integrate the relationship between authentic experience, involvement, place attachment, and loyalty into rural tourism research. The results of the study showed that tourists’ authentic experience and tourism participation have a significantly positive effect on place identity and place dependence (two different dimensions of place attachment), and authentic experience significantly positively affects involvement. Place identity and place dependence greatly and positively affect tourist loyalty. Furthermore, place dependence and place identity play a comprehensive mediating role in the relationship between authentic experience, involvement, and loyalty. The research findings provide a theoretical foundation and a point of reference for rural destinations in developing additional strategies and initiatives.