IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i19p12795-d935729.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • Ge Wang

    (School of Architecture & Applied Arts, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou 511400, China)

  • Liman Huang

    (School of Tourism Management, South China Normal University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Changliang Xu

    (Guangzhou Overseas Chinese Foreign Language School, Guangzhou 510095, China)

  • Kai He

    (School of Architecture & Applied Arts, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou 511400, China)

  • Kang Shen

    (School of Architecture & Applied Arts, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou 511400, China)

  • Peiyu Liang

    (Institute for Science, Technology and Society, South China Normal University, Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou 510006, China)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Ge Wang & Liman Huang & Changliang Xu & Kai He & Kang Shen & Peiyu Liang, 2022. "Analysis of the Mediating Role of Place Attachment in the Link between Tourists’ Authentic Experiences of, Involvement in, and Loyalty to Rural Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:19:p:12795-:d:935729
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/19/12795/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/19/12795/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zaichkowsky, Judith Lynne, 1985. "Measuring the Involvement Construct," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 12(3), pages 341-352, December.
    2. Wookhyun An & Silverio Alarcón, 2020. "How Can Rural Tourism Be Sustainable? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    3. Jing Wang & Yi Wang & Yinchun He & Zhangxiang Zhu, 2022. "Exploring the Factors of Rural Tourism Recovery in the Post-COVID-19 Era Based on the Grounded Theory: A Case Study of Tianxi Village in Hunan Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-15, April.
    4. Xiaoting Chi & Seul Ki Lee & Young-joo Ahn & Kiattipoom Kiatkawsin, 2020. "Tourist-Perceived Quality and Loyalty Intentions towards Rural Tourism in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yanqing Xia & Yili Deng & Xuanyu Tao & Sainan Zhang & Chengliang Wang, 2024. "Digital art exhibitions and psychological well-being in Chinese Generation Z: An analysis based on the S-O-R framework," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Jingjia Luo & Menglong Xia, 2024. "Embracing Virtual Reality in Destination Marketing: A Serial Mediation Model to Investigate the Role of Virtual Tourism Experiences in the Formation of Place Attachment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Lei Shi & Jing-Yan Ma & Chul-Ok Ann, 2023. "Exploring the Effect of Tour Guide Cultural Interpretation on Tourists’ Loyalty in the Context of the Southern Journey by Emperor Qianlong," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-19, July.
    4. Jiantao Zhang & Li Jin & Xinning Pan & Yang Wang, 2024. "Pro-Environmental Behavior of Tourists in Ecotourism Scenic Spots: The Promoting Role of Tourist Experience Quality in Place Attachment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Xuanxuan Guo & Bingjie Liu & Junliang He & Shuhao Li, 2025. "The impact mechanism of tourism short video content marketing on users’ travel behavioral intention," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Shahid Munir & Ihtisham ul Haq & Ammara Nawaz Cheema & Ibrahim M. Almanjahie & Dilawar Khan, 2025. "The Role of Tourists, Infrastructure and Institutions in Sustainable Tourism: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, March.
    7. Yuni Budi Lestari & Kamaludin Yusra, 2022. "Identifying Tourism Potentials of Ethno-Cultural Attractions in Lombok," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-21, December.

    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. Peng Cheng & Zhe Ouyang & Yang Liu, 0. "The effect of information overload on the intention of consumers to adopt electric vehicles," Transportation, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    2. Merja Halme & Kari Linden & Kimmo Kääriä, 2009. "Patients’ Preferences for Generic and Branded Over-the-Counter Medicines," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 2(4), pages 243-255, December.
    3. Mahan, Joseph E. & Seo, Won Jae & Jordan, Jeremy S. & Funk, Daniel, 2015. "Exploring the impact of social networking sites on running involvement, running behavior, and social life satisfaction," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 182-192.
    4. O'Cass, A., 2000. "An assessment of consumers product, purchase decision, advertising and consumption involvement in fashion clothing," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 545-576, October.
    5. Eunae Jung & Hyungun Sung, 2017. "The Influence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Outbreak on Online and Offline Markets for Retail Sales," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-23, March.
    6. Kautish, Pradeep & Paço, Arminda & Thaichon, Park, 2022. "Sustainable consumption and plastic packaging: Relationships among product involvement, perceived marketplace influence and choice behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    7. María Belén Prados-Peña & Francisco Jesús Gálvez-Sánchez & Pedro Núñez-Cacho & Valentín Molina-Moreno, 2024. "Intention to purchase sustainable craft products: a moderated mediation analysis of the adoption of sustainability in the craft sector," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 775-797, January.
    8. Nitin Walia & Mark Srite & Wendy Huddleston, 2016. "Eyeing the web interface: the influence of price, product, and personal involvement," Electronic Commerce Research, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 297-333, September.
    9. Yi-Hsiu Lin & Chen-Yueh Chen & Yen-Kuang Lin & Chen-Yin Lee & Chia-Yi Cheng, 2023. "Effects of Online Video Sport Spectatorship on the Subjective Well-Being of College Students: The Moderating Effect of Sport Involvement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, March.
    10. Wei Zheng & Hongliang Qiu & Alastair M. Morrison, 2023. "Applying a Combination of SEM and fsQCA to Predict Tourist Resource-Saving Behavioral Intentions in Rural Tourism: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-23, January.
    11. Fayyaz, Muhammad Shahzeb & Abbasi, Amir Zaib & Kumar, Sanjeev & Qureshi, Ammar & Hussain, Khalil & Muhammad, Lakhi, 2025. "Integrating digital influencer persuasion model and theory of planned behavior: The mediating role of consumer involvement in endorsed brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    12. Bruneau, Virginie & Swaen, Valérie & Zidda, Pietro, 2018. "Are loyalty program members really engaged? Measuring customer engagement with loyalty programs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 144-158.
    13. Alexandria M. Gain & Leonard V. Coote & André Bonfrer, 2024. "Conceptualising and measuring consumer perceptions of brand wastefulness," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(6), pages 557-575, November.
    14. Zhang, Yicong & Guo, Xiaoling, 2023. "“New and old†: Consumer evaluations of co-branding between new brands and Chinese time-honored brands," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    15. Wenming Liu & Jingjing Li, 2025. "Knowledge Dynamics in Rural Tourism Supply Chains: Challenges, Innovations, and Cross-Sector Applications," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(2), pages 6732-6764, June.
    16. Daniel Hoppe, 2021. "Argument-Based Versus Emotion-Based Videos During the Early Stages of Recruitment: Effects on Perceived Employer Brand Image, Application Intentions, and Positive Word-of-Mouth," Corporate Reputation Review, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 24(1), pages 31-47, February.
    17. Songhong Chen & Jian Ming Luo, 2023. "Understand Delegates Risk Attitudes and Behaviour: The Moderating Effect of Trust in COVID-19 Vaccination," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-18, February.
    18. Catherine Viot & Juliette Passebois-Ducros, 2010. "Wine brands or branded wines? The specificity of the French market in terms of the brand," Post-Print hal-01803728, HAL.
    19. Peschel, Anne O. & Grebitus, Carola & Steiner, Bodo & Veeman, Michele, 2015. "A Behavioral Approach to Understanding Green Consumerism Using Latent Class Choice Analysis," 143rd Joint EAAE/AAEA Seminar, March 25-27, 2015, Naples, Italy 202727, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    20. Pipatpong Fakfare & Walanchalee Wattanacharoensil, 2023. "Low‐carbon tourism for island destinations: A crucial alternative for sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 180-197, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:19:p:12795-:d:935729. 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.