The current research examines whether experiential tourism activities in the tourism industry can influence tourists’ behaviour. Using the stimulus-organism-response framework, the study examines how experience affects travellers’ intentions for satisfaction and loyalty among online travel agents (OTAs). Data were collected from 208 visitors across five travel destinations in India, specifically wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, to examine their lived experiences.
The results were analysed using a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach, indicating that experiential tourism indicators have a direct effect on customer engagement. The study suggests that experiential motivation is vital in shaping tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty. The results suggest that tourists are more likely to return to the OTA and recommend it to others if they have positive experiential motivation during their travel encounter.
Moreover, the study highlights the importance of co-creation in the tourism industry. In the challenging competitive space, leveraging experiential strategies can help managers gain a competitive advantage. Travel retailers must focus on increasing tourists’ conscious participation and include certain activities that may motivate them and create enthusiasm.
This study is one of the few in India to explore the relationship between experiential activities and tourist satisfaction and loyalty among wildlife sanctuaries and national parks travellers. The author(s) sincerely thank the Editor and the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and constructive suggestions, which have significantly improved the quality and clarity of this manuscript. Their valuable feedback is greatly appreciated.
Open access funding provided by Manipal University Jaipur. Institute of Business Management (NCE Bengals), Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India Fore School of Management, New Delhi, India Department of Business Administration, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur, India Sahil Singh Jasrotia was a member of the Editorial Board of this journal at the time of submission of the manuscript. The manuscript was assessed in line with the journal’s standard editorial processes, including its policy on competing interests.
Informed consent was obtained from all participants to anonymise the data and findings from this research for publication. This study involved anonymised, non-interventional questionnaire-based data collection from adult participants, with no identifiable personal information collected. Based on the characteristics of the study and the provisions of the ICMR National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants (2017), the authors determined that the study falls within the category of research exempt from formal ethics review.
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