Tourists’ experience of iconic public art in Macau

Abstract

ABSTRACT Public art can attract tourists and enrich their destination experiences. However, the ways that tourists aesthetically judge public art have received little scholarly attention. This study explores tourists’ aesthetic experiences with iconic public artworks and particularly the relationship between aesthetic judgement, flow experience, and behavioural outcomes. Based on a survey of 454 tourists visiting the Kun Iam Ecumenical Centre in Macau, this study reveals that certain aesthetic qualities can be used to measure tourists’ experiences of public art. The study also finds a direct relationship between the first or second two of the following three variables: aesthetic judgement, flow experience, and behavioural outcomes. The third major finding of this study is the significant indirect relationship between aesthetic judgement and behavioural outcomes. These findings on tourists’ art-related experiences shed light on managing art sites and marketing destinations.