IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jtourh/v2y2020i1p1-14d469337.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Traveler Motivation and Destination Loyalty: Visiting Sacred Places in Central Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Liza Rybina

    (Bang College of Business, KIMEP University, Abay Ave 2, Almaty 050010, Kazakhstan)

  • Timothy J. Lee

    (Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), Macau
    Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT), Griffith University, Nathan Campus, QLD 4111, Australia)

Abstract

Visiting sacred spaces is becoming a growing trend in tourism in the Central Asian region. Sacred sites are said to have the power to heal the body, enlighten the mind, and inspire the heart. This study explored the motivations for visiting sacred spaces among tourists from three Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. The study used a sequential mixed methods research design. In the first stage, a general list of motivations was produced, based on the analysis of 14 semi-structured interviews. The second stage quantitative survey was conducted with a sample of 211 tourists from Central Asia. Data collection took place during tours to sacred sites in the city of Turkestan in South Kazakhstan. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and regression analysis. The relationships between motivation factors and destination loyalty were tested. The results show that among the five motivational factors identified in this study, only three (Spiritual and Religious Motives, Cultural and Historical Motives, and Wellness and Healing) have a significant relationship with sacred site destination loyalty. The remaining two factors (Nature, Fun, and Social Contact) have not been proven to have a significant relationship with destination loyalty. The study adds value to the literature on traveling to religious sites, especially those in formerly atheist countries, and provides recommendations to practitioners and policymakers to enable them to develop a niche tourism area by segmenting tourists’ motivations and destination loyalty in their sacred places. It also contributes to the diversification of tourism products in those destinations that have historical religious heritage resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Liza Rybina & Timothy J. Lee, 2020. "Traveler Motivation and Destination Loyalty: Visiting Sacred Places in Central Asia," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:2:y:2020:i:1:p:1-14:d:469337
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/2/1/1/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/2/1/1/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nancy Leech & Anthony Onwuegbuzie, 2009. "A typology of mixed methods research designs," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 265-275, March.
    2. Becker, Elisabeth, 2018. "Tour-guiding as a pious place-making practice: The case of the Sehitlik Mosque, Berlin," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 81-90.
    3. Anthony Onwuegbuzie & Nancy Leech, 2007. "A Call for Qualitative Power Analyses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 105-121, February.
    4. Moal-Ulvoas, Gaëlle, 2017. "Positive emotions and spirituality in older travelers," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 151-158.
    5. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    6. Pyke, Sarah & Hartwell, Heather & Blake, Adam & Hemingway, Ann, 2016. "Exploring well-being as a tourism product resource," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 94-105.
    7. Terzidou, Matina & Scarles, Caroline & Saunders, Mark N.K., 2017. "Religiousness as tourist performances: A case study of Greek Orthodox pilgrimage," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 116-129.
    8. Winter, Caroline, 2019. "Pilgrims and votives at war memorials: a vow to remember," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 117-128.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fatoumata Fofana & Pat Bazeley & Antoine Regnault, 2020. "Applying a mixed methods design to test saturation for qualitative data in health outcomes research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, June.
    2. Higgins, Leighanne & Hamilton, Kathy, 2020. "Pilgrimage, material objects and spontaneous communitas," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    3. Ahmed Abdel Fattah & Mary Eddy-U, 2022. "The unique twin approaches of Sufi Sheikhs and host-guest relationships at El Sayed Ahmed El-Badawy Mosque in Egypt," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2723-2750, August.
    4. Sheikh Basharul Islam & Suhail Ahmad Bhat & Mushtaq Ahmad Darzi, 2021. "Determining the Influence of Private Labels on Sales of National Brands: A Qualitative Approach," FIIB Business Review, , vol. 10(2), pages 133-145, June.
    5. Buckley, Ralf & Westaway, Diane, 2020. "Mental health rescue effects of women's outdoor tourism: A role in COVID-19 recovery," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    6. Tan, Xiaoyuan & Ying, Tianyu & Mariska, Dini & Liu-Lastres, Bingjie & Ye, Shun & Kim, Hany, 2022. "Residents' involvement in disaster tourism as a practice: The Case of an Islam destination, Aceh," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    7. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    8. Tatiana Khavenson, 2019. "Integration of Schools in Latvia and Estonia Using Curriculum Reforms," Voprosy obrazovaniya / Educational Studies Moscow, National Research University Higher School of Economics, issue 3, pages 77-100.
    9. Anastasios Michailidis & Chrysanthi Charatsari & Thomas Bournaris & Efstratios Loizou & Aikaterini Paltaki & Dimitra Lazaridou & Evagelos D. Lioutas, 2024. "A First View on the Competencies and Training Needs of Farmers Working with and Researchers Working on Precision Agriculture Technologies," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, January.
    10. Şahika Simsek-Cetinkaya & Simge Evrenol Ocal, 2023. "“Psychological Injuries Are Not Visible†: Experiences and Perceptions of Midwives and Nurses about Domestic Violence during Pregnancy," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 32(8), pages 1115-1123, November.
    11. Jinghua Han & Keji Huang & Shiwei Shen, 2022. "Are Tourism Practitioners Happy? The Role of Explanatory Style Played on Tourism Practitioners’ Psychological Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-18, April.
    12. McKay Tracey, 2017. "The South African Adventure Tourism Economy: An urban phenomenon," Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series, Sciendo, vol. 37(37), pages 63-76, September.
    13. Silvia Scaramuzzi & Sara Gabellini & Giovanni Belletti & Andrea Marescotti, 2021. "Agrobiodiversity-Oriented Food Systems between Public Policies and Private Action: A Socio-Ecological Model for Sustainable Territorial Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-32, November.
    14. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    15. Navin Kumar & John Scott & Victor Minichiello, 2017. "Masculinity and the Occupational Experience of Male Independent Escorts Who Seek Male Clients," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, June.
    16. Annette Peart & Virginia Lewis & Chris Barton & Grant Russell, 2020. "Healthcare professionals providing care coordination to people living with multimorbidity: An interpretative phenomenological analysis," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2317-2328, July.
    17. Soo-Yong Shin & Eun-Ju Lim, 2021. "Clinical Work and Life of Mid-Career Male Nurses: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-10, June.
    18. Bi-Juan Zhong & Yaping Gong & Oded Shenkar & Yadong Luo & Zhixing Xiao & Shuming Zhao, 2023. "Managing the hearts of boundary spanners: CEO organizational identification and international joint venture performance," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 87-119, March.
    19. Thomas Dax & Oliver Tamme, 2023. "Attractive Landscape Features as Drivers for Sustainable Mountain Tourism Experiences," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-16, June.
    20. Dimitrios Gouglas & Kendall Hoyt & Elizabeth Peacocke & Aristidis Kaloudis & Trygve Ottersen & John-Arne Røttingen, 2019. "Setting Strategic Objectives for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations: An Exploratory Decision Analysis Process," Service Science, INFORMS, vol. 49(6), pages 430-446, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:2:y:2020:i:1:p:1-14:d:469337. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.