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The purpose of this study is to expand the experience economy model and to determine if this model provides a better understanding of the process of growing intention to continue using religious cultural heritage content delivered digitally and intention to visit religious cultural heritage sites. In particular, it examines the influence of spiritual experience on the evaluation of religious cultural heritage content, comparing delivery via virtual reality (VR) to a web-based experience.

In this study, a representative religious cultural heritage destination, Jerusalem, was chosen as an example for the application. Participants (n = 292) were randomly divided into two groups, one group using the web and the other group experiencing VR. After experiencing the destination virtually, participants completed a survey, the results of which were analyzed using path analysis and multi-group analysis.

The results suggest that spiritual experience mediates the four elements of Pine and Gilmore (1998) experience economy model and the intention to continue engaging with the content virtually. Intellectual awareness of religious cultural heritage strengthens the spiritual experience, which mediates educational and aesthetic experiences and the successful use of VR and the web. Additionally, for participants experiencing VR, the influence of spiritual experience on the intention to continue using the virtual media to consume content related to religious cultural heritage sites and to visit actual religious heritage sites was stronger than for participants using the web.

This study based on an expanded experience economy model explores the use of digital technologies for the enhancement of spiritual experience. Comparison of web-based and VR content delivery provides important implications for destination marketers in terms of promoting destinations online and encouraging intention to visit actual sites in the future.

Adopting the unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) and the theory of substitutability, this study examines both the technical and sensory factors influencing Malaysians' intention to adopt virtual tours (IA) and subsequent intention to visit an actual heritage site (IV) in the heritage traveling decision-making process.

This study collected a total of 278 valid survey responses via purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS26 and SmartPLS4 software.

The findings support the significant positive effect of IA on IV, which supplements evidence to subdue misapprehensions that virtual tours (VTs) are competitors or substitutes for in-person visitations. Perceived substitutability was found to have an indirect impact on IV through IA, further proving the mediating role of IA in influencing IV. Technical and sensory factors, namely performance expectancy, hedonic motivation, habit and perceived substitutability of IA, were shown to be critical in influencing IA; however, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions were not.

This study offers sustainable and practical implications to the tourism industry as well as potential visitors, who can utilize VTs to determine whether targeted tourism destinations are worthy of investing their resources. The findings suggest that the virtual tour experience contributes to tourists' IV by successfully piquing tourists' interest to physically visit heritage sites in the future. The virtual tour could be utilized to generate demand in times of temporary replacement or closure. Destination marketing organizations and destination management companies should consider the technical and sensory aspects of VTs, specifically prioritizing the hedonic motivation factor.

This study integrates the UTAUT2 and theory of substitutability to shed light on the adoption of technological alternatives in the heritage tourism context. Importantly, this study serves as the pioneer effort in examining the interplay of perceived substitutability in the relationship between IA and IV.

In 2019, Generation Z (Gen Z) accounted for 32% of the world population, as per the report by Bloomberg, Gen Z in India is world's largest with 472 million people, still there is very limited research conducted to explain their intention to visit heritage sites. This paper aims to report the findings of an empirical research focussing on Gen Z Indians' intention to visit heritage sites by applying theory of planned behaviour (TPB) with two additional constructs, i.e. environmental concern (EC) and environmental friendly activities (EFA).

As a fundamental theoretical framework, the TPB model is used. Data consists of responses of 434 Gen Z Indians which were collected through online questionnaires. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) technique, the measurement and structural model were tested with the help of AMOS 22 and SPSS 25 software.

The results of SEM indicate that the hypothesized relationships between attitude (AT), subjective norms (SN), EC, EFA and intention to visit heritage sites were all supported. However, perceived behavioural control (PBC) did not influence intention.

The study's findings have substantial practical implications for organizations/travel companies that primarily deal in heritage sites. The findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge about intention to visit heritage sites. As the study focuses mostly on Gene Z Indians, it is difficult to extrapolate the findings to other countries.

This paper will help the researchers and practitioners to understand the Gen Z Indians' intention of visiting heritage sites. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that predicts intention of Gen Z Indians to visit heritage sites.

Observing visitors' behaviour in places presenting heritage and reviewing the tourism literature dealing with ‘heritage’ tourism led to this research that is aimed at clarifying the core of heritage tourism. The common approach that heritage tourism consists of tourists in heritage places, is challenged. The relationship between four groups of variables (the tourists' personal characteristics, the tourists' awareness of the history of the site, the tourists' perception of a site in relation to their own heritage and, the site attributes) and the tourists' visitation patterns (before a visit, during a visit, and after a visit) as the outcome variables was investigated. The actual study was conducted in Israel because of its attributes as a space containing a variety of heritage sites in a relatively small area, which relate to different tourists on different grounds. The research looked in detail at two sites: the Wailing Wall and Massada. The results (specifically the tourists' perception of the sites) indicate that the relationship between the tourists and the heritage site attributes is at the core of the phenomenon of heritage tourism. The understanding of this relationship has value for the study of heritage‐related behaviour including heritage tourism. The study suggests a new approach to understanding heritage tourism which could be applicable for other subgroups of tourism, and could have implications for the management of heritage and historic sites.

World Heritage sites (WHS) can play an important role in promoting visitation to emerging and remote destinations. Guided by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study aims to investigate factors that predict intentions to visit WHS.

Survey questionnaires were used to collect data from visitors (n = 519) to four Western North American WHS. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to identify three reflective models (attitude toward visiting World Heritage, perceived behavioural control and intention to visit WHS in the future), three formative models (attitude toward World Heritage designation, social influence (subjective norms) to visit World Heritage and World Heritage tourism brand equity) and a structural model.

World Heritage tourism brand equity and social influence were strong positive predictors of intentions to visit WHS in the future. Attitudes towards World Heritage designation, followed by World Heritage travel attitudes and perceived behavioural control, were progressively weaker, yet positive predictors. However, the latter two concepts’ impact was negligible.

This study addresses four deficiencies in tourism studies: TPB studies have failed to find consistent predictors of intentions to visit destinations; very few studies have attempted to verify the factors that predict visitation to WHS, despite the opportunities and costs that can arise from WHS-related tourism; few studies of tourists’ perceptions of World Heritage and related WHS travel intentions have been conducted in North America; and PLS-SEM was used to perform statistical methods not commonly used in tourism studies including formative models, importance-performance mapping and confirmatory tetrad analysis.

世界遗址（WHS）对于提高新兴和偏远地区的游览率起到重要作用。本论文以计划行为理论（TPB）为理论基础，研究游览WHS的动机因素。

本论文采用问卷采样形式，519名游览四个美国西北部WHS公园的游客为问卷样本。本论文采用偏最小二乘回归（PLS-SEM）分析数据，(a) 确立三个反应性测量模型（WHS游览态度、感知行为控制、未来WHS游览意向），(b) 确立三个形成性测量模型（WHS游览态度、WHS游览的社会影响力（主观规范）、以及WHS旅游品牌资产），以及(c) 验证一个结构模型。

世界遗产旅游品牌资产和社会影响力是未来游览WHS意向的有效动力。世界遗产目的地的态度，由世界遗产旅游态度和感知行为控制所主导，也有着对未来游览WHS意向的积极促进作用，但是作用相对较弱。然而，世界遗产旅游态度和感知行为控制并未发现对未来游览WHS意向有直接决定作用。

本论文弥补了旅游研究中的四大不足：(a) TPB研究未能找出旅游目的地游览意向的一致的决定因素; (b) 几乎没有文献试图验证WHS游览意向决定因素，尽管这将对WHS相关旅游业的机遇和成本控制有着重大意义; (c) 有关世界遗产和相关WHS旅游意向的研究还尚未在北美地区开枝散叶; (d) 本论文借用PLS-SEM方法来分析数据，包括验证形成性测量模型、重要性-绩效画图分析法、以及四分子分析法等，这在旅游文献中不常见。

品牌态度，世界遗产，旅游意向，TPB，品牌资产，品牌忠诚度

Through a theoretical lens of psychological ownership, this study aims to investigate how technology mindfulness may stimulate metaverse tourism users’ feelings of individual psychological ownership, aesthetic value and conversational value, which in turn fosters intention to engage in prosocial behaviors.

The study used a scenario-based survey that allowed U.S.-based participants to create their own avatars and imagine using their avatars to explore heritage sites in the metaverse. Structural equality modeling was applied for data analysis.

The results from 357 valid responses indicate that technology mindfulness arouses tourists’ individual psychological ownership, aesthetic value, conversational value and prosocial behavioral intentions. The moderating role of biospheric value orientation on willingness to donate and intention to volunteer is investigated.

The research sheds light on the significance of technology mindfulness, conversational value and psychological ownership perspectives in the metaverse, which have been previously overlooked. The authors used a scenario-based survey for mental stimulation due to current metaverse technology limitations.

The study is one of the first to explore the possibility of encouraging prosocial behaviors using metaverse-facilitated technology. The research offers guidelines to engage hospitality and tourism customers in the metaverse that can blend their virtual experiences into the real world.

This study represents one of the pioneering efforts to gain an in-depth understanding of the application of metaverse in triggering prosocial behavior toward heritage sites, explained via a technology mindfulness-driven model with a psychological ownership perspective.

Heritage tourism is an increasingly popular form of tourism that allows individuals to connect with the past and immerse themselves in cultural and historical narratives. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore the intricate relationships among vicarious nostalgia (VNOS), memorable tourism experiences (MTEXs) and their collective influence on tourists’ behavioral intentions (BINTs). Additionally, this study examines the moderating effect of social return (SN) in the context of heritage tourism.

Data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire from 259 tourists visiting heritage sites in Jaipur. The proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling.

The results confirmed that VNOS had a significant positive impact on BINT in the context of heritage tourism. The causal relationship between VNOS and BINT was fully mediated by MTEX. The results further verified that the presence of SN strengthens the association between MTEXs and BINT.

This research will guide the firms associated with heritage tourism to target specific cohorts interested in heritage tourism. Policymakers may find it easier to create unique offerings and packages that appeal to visitors interested in historical sites and produce memorable travel experiences. One key implication is to create “social media friendly spaces” at different locations of the sites. To increase tourism, managers may use the findings from this research to create plans for the ethical promotion and protection of cultural and natural heritage sites.

Overall, this research advances the understanding of the role of VNOS in heritage tourism by elucidating its cognitive and emotional aspects and their subsequent influence on the memorability of tourist experiences and BINT s. Additionally, by considering the moderating effect of SN, this study provides a comprehensive view of how these factors collectively shape tourists’ decisions and actions in the context of heritage destinations. This research has been conducted in the heritage city of Jaipur (North-Western India), which, surprisingly – despite its popularity as a heritage tourism site – has not been sufficiently explored in the scholarly research.

Based on self-determination theory (SDT), this paper seeks to identify autonomous motivations driving nostalgia-related cultural tourism among visitors to satisfy their craving to revisit Luxor and re-root their identities. This paper looked at the nexus of destination image and past experience, as well as nostalgic visitors' revisit intention and actual behavior toward Luxor.

Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to quantitatively analyze 354 responses from Luxor's visitors, and 17 interview transcripts were narrated using MAXQDA software.

Autonomous motivations influenced revisit intentions significantly, and revisit intentions acted as a strong mediator between actual visit behavior and autonomous motivations.

Destination marketers need to create nostalgic emotional bonds with people and destinations by planning cultural events that leave visitors with unforgettable memories of these particular moments. They also need to focus more on promotional strategies, develop messages with words that have emotional meaning and highlight crucial characteristics that tourists can quickly identify when visiting a destination.

Cultural tourism has emerged as a dominant niche sector worldwide; nevertheless, nostalgia-related cultural tourism has received less attention. As a result, the primary purpose of this paper is to provide a methodological framework for nostalgia tourism promotion in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor was chosen and has been an excellent subject for this paper, which can further evoke a sense of nostalgia. Hence, this paper prioritizes cultural site preservation and promotion.

This paper seeks to revisit the interrelationship among tourists’ perceived value of the destination, tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty in the heritage tourism site of Hoi An. In addition, the moderating role of tourists’ perceived crowding, which has become remarkably common at the site, in such a triangle relationship will also be explored. In other words, this study aims to validate an extended model of perceived value – tourist satisfaction – destination loyalty – perceived crowding.

The study collects data from 403 tourists who visited Hoi An during peak season through an online questionnaire. The data were later analysed using AMOS and Warp partial least squares.

The results validate the significant and positive correlation among perceived value, customer satisfaction and destination loyalty. Also, perceived crowding was confirmed to affect the relationship among these three variables negatively. In terms of academic contributions, this paper empirically proved that low levels of tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty among tourists who highly value their visiting experience at World Heritage Sites (WHS) can be caused by perceived crowding.

So far, current literature has investigated the direct (either positive or negative) relationship between perceived crowding and post-visit behaviours of tourists (Nie et al., 2022; Papadopoulou, Ribeiro, & Prayag, 2023; Stemmer, Gjerald, & Øgaard, 2022). Broadening this area of research, the authors of this paper used the social interference theory and the stimulus-overload theory to explain the low level of tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty among tourists who highly value their visiting experience at WHS.

The study aims to understand the relationship between facilitating, demoting, motivating factors and visit intention; and to clarify the role of death anxiety before visiting a dark exhibition.

Partial least squares structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze data from 426 potential visitors to the Capuchin Crypt in Rome (Italy).

Results demonstrate that dark fascination, prestige, reflection on death and mortality and interpersonal facilitators are the main drivers of visit intention, and structural constraints are the main demoting factors. Contrary to expectations, intrapersonal constraints have a positive influence on motivators and indirectly on visit intention, and death anxiety has mixed results.

Data collection from only one dark exhibition requires that the generalization of the results must be done with care.

Conclusions enabled a better understanding of pre-trip tourist behavior, providing valuable suggestions for the communication strategy of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and site managers.

The study adopts a consolidated and empirical approach to studying facilitators, motivators, constraints and visit intention, as well as the effect of death anxiety. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to develop a comprehensive investigation of these four constructs, whether at the darker or the lighter end of the dark tourism spectrum. Consequently, it offers a better understanding of lighter dark attractions, which allows DMOs and others to improve the communication of their tourism products.