MEMORABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCES (MTE): INTEGRATING ANTECEDENTS, CONSEQUENCES AND MODERATING FACTOR

Purpose - The concept of tourism as an experience is gaining interest among practitioners and academics alike. This study contributes to the tourism literature by integrating the antecedents and outcomes of memorable tourism experiences (MTE) and consumer-level factors as moderators into a single model. Design - The study applies primary survey using structured questionnaire. The study hypotheses are empirically tested based on survey data of 700 tourists (both domestic and foreign) in India. Methodology - The data collected is analyzed using structural equation modeling. The model also includes the moderating role of tourists’ openness to experience. Findings - Findings show a positive impact of destination attributes on MTE. MTE is observed to positively affect its immediate outcomes, perceived value and satisfaction from tourism experiences. Subsequently, satisfaction has a positive effect of loyalty and word of mouth (WOM), but perceived value affects only on word of mouth. Openness to experience moderated the impact of destination attributes on MTE. Originality - The study makes new theoretical and managerial contributions. The study is one of the first of its kind to integrate the antecedents and outcomes of MTE in a single study. Moreover, the study also considers the moderating influence of tourist personality in the same study