The elements identification and model construction of rural tourism experience based on user-generated content

The essence of rural tourism is to gain experiences that differ from those of daily lives. Using Wuyuan County, the most beautiful village in China, as a case site, this study uses content analysis to explore the internal structure and characteristics of tourists’ experiences at rural tourism destinations based on user-generated content. The results indicated that the main drivers of tourists’ travel to rural tourism destinations were appreciating flowers and scenery, hunting for novelty, fulfilling dreams, escape and decompression, and emotional interaction. The rural tourism experience features perceptions of the atmosphere of pastoral scenery, landscape architecture, and local customs; behavioural participation, including photography, social interaction, and service experience; and emotional expression, including relaxation and pleasure, intoxication and enjoyment, reminiscence and admiration, and gratitude and sentiment. A rural tourism experience structure model, travel motivation → atmosphere perception → behavioural participation → emotional expression, was constructed based on the anticipatory experience → on-site experience → remembrance experience timeline. This study not only provides a theoretical explanation of the formation process and structural characteristics of the rural tourism experience but also provides guidance for the planning, designing, and sustainable development of rural tourism products.