The Relationship between Cultural Tourist Experience and Recommendation Intention: Empirical Evidence from Montenegr

Tatjana Stanovčić,Djurdjica Perovic,Mileva Manojlović

doi:10.3390/su132313144

Abstract

The cultural tourist experience emerges as an essential part of the offer of tourism services and is considered a crucial factor for tourism destination development. Although the existing literature has investigated the effect of cultural tourism, empirical evidence on the impact of cultural tourist experience on tourist behavior remains scarce. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between different dimensions of cultural tourist experience and recommendation intention. Using Structural Equation Modelling, based on a sample of 80 tourists who visited Montenegro, the results indicate a statistically significant relationship between different dimensions of the cultural tourist experience and the recommendation intention of Montenegro as a destination. More precisely, the findings reveal that sensory, social, and emotional dimensions positively impact recommendation intention. Furthermore, the social dimension has a stronger effect than sensory and emotional dimensions. This study extends current research on cultural tourism by providing a better understanding of the relationship between components of cultural tourist experience and tourist behaviors, and, as such, can serve as a premise in improving destination management strategy.

Highlights

Contemporary trends in tourism emphasize cultural experience as a foundation for a more delightful journey [1], which is reflected in the expansion of cultural programs [2]
To fully comprehend the impact of cultural tourist experience on behavioral intention, an analysis of different cultural experience components is necessary in order to understand their effects [18] and provide clear directions for destination development
The findings show the positive impact of all three cultural tourist experiences on recommendation intention

Summary

Introduction

Contemporary trends in tourism emphasize cultural experience as a foundation for a more delightful journey [1], which is reflected in the expansion of cultural programs [2]. According to [5], cultural programs encompass a variety of activities with the purpose of satisfying the needs of tourists for entertainment and education, as well as providing active recreation and interaction with other tourists during their stay at the destination. Due to their authenticity and specific values, these programs serve as a basis for differentiating tourist offers and as a reliable mechanism for improving the overall image of a destination [6]. Ref. [8] emphasized that if cultural programs are implemented in a high-quality manner, they can significantly boost tourist satisfaction and increase opportunities for re-visiting specific tourist destinations

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Conclusion