Does place attachment act as a mediating variable that affects revisit intention toward a revitalized park?

Abstract

In an urbanized environment, urban parks have become increasingly important for people to connect with nature. Urban parks can bring tangible and intangible benefits to society. Moreover, the features of these parks often become significant factors that attract people to visit. Park features that have deteriorated need to be revitalized to avoid more severe damage. Park revitalization is also performed to accommodate the current needs of park visitors. A satisfactory park visit experience may influence visitors’ decision to repeat their visit. Revisit intention toward a revitalized park can also be influenced by the concept of place attachment as a mediating variable. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of park revitalization on revisit intention using place attachment as a mediating variable. A questionnaire-based survey of 315 visitors to Taman Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta, Indonesia, revealed that there were significant differences in visitors’ perceptions before and after revitalization, particularly for all variables of attraction revitalization, amenities revitalization except for the volleyball court, the parking area, and drainage, and all variables of accessibility and ancillary revitalization. Visitors also felt very satisfied with the revitalization of Taman Lapangan Banteng. Additionally, the results showed that place attachment mediated the relationships between satisfaction with attraction revitalization and revisit intention and between satisfaction with amenities revitalization and revisit intention. The direct path of the effect of satisfaction with attraction revitalization, the effect of satisfaction with accessibility revitalization, and the effect of satisfaction with service revitalization and revisit intention showed positive and significant relationships.