RJOAS May 2025
by Hady Meliya, Wardana I Made, Piartrini Putu Saroyini, Setiawan Putu Yudi (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Udayana, Bali, Indonesia)
Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest is an ecotourism in a protected forest area, which was built by the Glagalinggah Lestari forest farmer group under the social forestry scheme.
The number of visitors still shows a relatively low intensity, and the overall level of visitation has not reached the level expected by the manager. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that influence visitors' intention to revisit Glagalinggah's Cultural Forest ecotourism using the Theory of Planned Behavior approach. Data collection was carried out by survey using questionnaires distributed directly to visitors. Furthermore, the data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with SmartPLS 3.2.7. The results of this study indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, destination image, and revisit intentions. It was also found that visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image have a significant positive effect on revisit intentions. This study also found that visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image partially mediate the effect of service quality on revisit intentions.
Over the past few decades, tourism has continued to expand and diversify into one of the largest and fastest-growing economic sectors in the world (United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2020). The tourism industry has received great attention as an important economic sector in many developing countries due to its potential to create jobs, improve the standard of living of local communities, and support the growth of related industries (Viet et al., 2020). Quoted from the official website of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (2024), the role of the tourism sector in the development of the Indonesian economy is in line with the development and contribution made by the tourism sector through foreign exchange earnings, regional income, regional development, as well as in the absorption of investment and labor and business development spread across various corners of Indonesia. According to a report from DetikFinance (2024), the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno revealed that the realization of the value of Indonesian tourism foreign exchange in 2023 reached US$ 14 billion or equivalent to IDR 218.4 trillion (exchange rate of IDR 15,600). This means that tourism foreign exchange reached US$ 14 billion with a GDP contribution of 3.9%. Meanwhile, the number of tourism workers in Indonesia reached 24.42 million people.
Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest is one of the ecotourism destinations in the pine forest area, built by the local Balinese community. This ecotourism is fostered by the Bali Provincial Forestry and Environment Service and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, which began construction in 2021 and was launched and inaugurated on December 20, 2022, by the Governor of Bali represented by the Head of the Bali Provincial Forestry and Environment Service. This ecotourism was built with the concept of "The Cultural Forest", namely tourism that prioritizes the preservation of forests and local culture.
Administratively, this tourism destination is located in Glagalinggah Hamlet, Kintamani Village, Kintamani District, Bangli Regency. Glagalinggah Hamlet itself is traditionally the Glagalinggah Traditional Village. Glagalinggah Pine Forest is located in a protected forest area, precisely the Penulisan Kintamani protected forest, which is located in RTK (Forestry Land Register) 20, with the dominant type of plant being Pine (Pinus merkusii). This area is part of the Batur Global Geopark area, which UNESCO recognizes as a world heritage site. This tourist destination was developed by the Glagalinggah Lestari Forest Farmer Group (KTH) after obtaining a forest management permit through Social Forestry. The Glagalinggah Lestari Forest Farmer Group obtained a forest management permit through the Decree of the Minister of Forestry and Environment Number 3634 / MENLHK-PSKL / PKPS / PSL.0 / 5/2018 concerning the Recognition and Protection of Forestry Partnerships between the Glagalinggah Lestari KTH and the East Bali KPH in Kintamani Village, Kintamani District, Bangli Regency. Based on the Decree (SK), the area of the forestry partnership managed by the Glagalinggah Lestari KTH is 51 ha. With the issuance of the Decree, KTH Glagalinggah Lestari can currently legally carry out forest utilization activities in protected forest areas. One of the forest utilization activities carried out is by building the Glagalinggah, The Cultural Forest tourist attraction.
Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest is a community-based tourism. According to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (2016), community-based tourism is a form of tourism that seeks to empower communities to manage tourism growth and achieve community aspirations related to their welfare and includes sustainable economic, social, and environmental development. There are 81 heads of families directly involved in tourism management in Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest; they are members of the Glagalinggah Lestari forest farmer group, most of whom have livelihoods as gardeners (penyakap) and livestock breeders. Pasaribu and Rachmawati (2022) stated that the development of community-based tourism can help the community's economy, increase PAD (Regional Original Income), maximize the potential of the area, and be an alternative in conservation efforts. In addition, the development of community-based tourism can also encourage social and economic development in rural and remote areas (Rocca & Zielinski, 2022). In addition to the benefits provided, according to Yamagishi et al. (2021), the development of community-based tourism also has limitations, namely limitations in terms of community access to resources needed in tourism management (financial, technical, and human resources). Ruiz-Ballesteros and Gonzalez-Portillo (2024) stated that rural residents could not design strategies in the tourism sector, such as in terms of taking control of the globalized world of tourism: its flows, products, and demand. Another disadvantage of community-based tourism is in terms of community knowledge about marketing, commercialization, and general matters related to providing services to tourists (Dodds et al., 2018). In order to improve community welfare while maintaining forest sustainability, forest farmer groups are developing the Glagalinggah pine forest area into a forest-based ecotourism destination, or what is known as wana wisata. The tourist attractions developed in this tourist attraction include Authentic natural beauty in the form of a natural pine forest, which offers beautiful views with a cool and calm atmosphere. Cultural performances in the form of local traditional dances with flora and fauna themes are held in an amphitheater in the pine forest area.
Visitors can enjoy the dance while breathing in the cool air in the middle of the forest. A coffee shop serving authentic Kintamani Arabica coffee and traditional Balinese food. The coffee shop also sells packaged coffee as a typical Kintamani souvenir. A coffee agroforestry showcase as a place to get to know the local community's planting culture. A 48-meter suspension bridge as a selfie location. A camping area is a camping location for visitors who want to camp in the pine forest area. A playground is a location for children to play. A tour through the forest by bicycle. There are also bicycle rental facilities in this destination. A photography area for visitors who want to take pre-wedding photos. A water conservation education area, as a location where visitors can learn about the local wisdom of the local community in preserving the environment, especially in terms of water conservation. Tree adoption program, where visitors can participate in adopting trees in the pine forest area. Forest conservation program, where visitors can participate in planting trees in the pine forest area.
The management targets the number of visitors in one year to be 207,320 visitors, or equivalent to 17,040 visitors per month or 568 visitors per day. This figure was obtained from the results of research by Widyartha et al. (2024), which stated that the effective carrying capacity of Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest to accommodate visitors is 568 people/day.
Table 1 shows visitor data for Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest for the last two years since the tourist attraction was opened, namely 2023 and 2024. Although the frequency of visitors in 2024 has increased compared to the previous year, the number of visitors to this tourist attraction still shows a relatively low intensity, and the overall level of visits has not reached the expected level. Of the number of visitors targeted by the manager of 17,040 visitors per month, currently, the average number of visits is only 731 visitors per month. Therefore, tourist attraction managers must have good information about the factors that influence visitors' intention to revisit (Shatnawi et al., 2023). The intention to revisit is the main goal of industry players in order to have repeat visitors (Rusdin & Rashid, 2018). According to Dyk et al. (2019), repeat tourism presents a viable market source that provides stable income for tourism activities. The existence of revisit intention can (1) reduce marketing and promotion costs (Beerli-Palacio & Martín-Santana, 2018), (2) allow for more spending (Wirtz & Zeithaml, 2018), and (3) provide many opportunities for the destination (Soliman, 2019). The specialty of revisit intention research for forest ecotourism can be an important foothold in expanding attention and encouraging increased investment in forest tourism among forest farmer groups. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) explains that behavior caused by individuals arises because of the intention to behave (Ajzen, 2011). According to this theory, a person's intention or a person's intention to Revisit the same action is a driver of human behavior (Abbasi et al., 2020a, 2020b). This is in line with Ulker-Demirel and Ciftci (2020), who explain that consumer behavior, including behavioral intentions to visit and revisit destinations, has been explained using the Theory of Planned Behavior in several empirical studies. Revisit intention is defined as a type of post-consumption behavior where tourists want to repeat an activity or revisit a particular destination (Viet et al., 2020). The results of Abbasi et al.'s (2021) study show that the usefulness of the Theory of Planned Behavior model can be extended to predict the intention to revisit tourist destinations. Ajzen (1991) stated that the TPB construct has the potential to be feasible for various behaviors in various situations. Therefore, this study will use the Theory of Planned Behavior to predict the intention to revisit the Glagalinggah Cultural Forest ecotourism destination.
The theory of Planned Behavior is a theory that explains the extent to which a person has a positive or negative evaluation of a particular behavior. Subjective norms in the Theory of Planned Behavior refer to the perceived social pressure to do or not do a behavior, and then perceived behavioral control is the perceived ease or difficulty in doing the behavior, and will ultimately lead to intention and finally do it (Meng & Cui, 2020). The core variables of the Theory of Planned Behavior have a positive and significant influence on tourists' intention to revisit, and this finding is consistent with previous research. It was found that the highest direct impact on revisit intention of the three Theory of Planned Behavior variables was attitude (Soliman, 2019). Rooij et al. (2024) define service quality as a multidimensional attitude held by consumers. Kim et al. (2019) found that service quality plays a role in increasing behavioral control. Meanwhile, memorable tourist experiences are related to positive memories of experiences (Sharma & Nayak, 2019), which can shape attitudes. Based on the current limited study on revisit behavior by extending the Theory of Planned Behavior model generally shows that certain variables can significantly influence visitors' revisit intention, such as destination satisfaction and image (Abbasi et al., 2021). The way individuals view and evaluate a destination or brand can have a direct impact on their intention to engage in tourism and recreation activities, making the Theory of Planned Behavior a relevant framework underlying the influence of destination image on revisit intention (Laradi et al., 2024). Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior approach, this study investigates revisit intention using the variables of service quality, visitor satisfaction, memorable tourist experience, and destination image. According to Abbasi et al. (2021), service quality is a positive predictor of the intention to revisit a destination, thus having a significant impact on tourist behavior. Manyangara et al. (2023) found that the better the service quality, the more tourists will revisit the destination in the future. This result is in line with the findings of Rooij et al. (2024), who found that service quality has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit historical heritage sites in the Netherlands. However, Oktariani and Syafrudin (2019) and Sukendar et al. (2021) in their research found that service quality did not have a significant effect on the intention to revisit.
In their research, Cho et al. (2020) stated that travel satisfaction is an important and direct antecedent of revisit intention. Rasoolimanesh et al. (2021) found a strong and positive influence of memorable tourist experiences on revisit intention. Meanwhile, Chelliah and Atabakshi (2020) found that destination image is the strongest predictor of revisit intention. Therefore, to fill the gap between the research results above, visitor satisfaction, memorable tourist experience, and destination image are used as mediating variables.
Rooij et al. (2024) stated that service quality has a positive effect on satisfaction, and satisfaction has a positive impact on revisit intention (Chan et al., 2022). Zatori et al. (2018) found that service quality has a positive effect on memorable tourism experiences, and memorable tourism experiences significantly impact revisit intentions (Quynh et al., 2021). Manyangara et al. (2023) stated that service quality has been shown to have a positive impact on destination image, where the destination image tends to influence and lead to interest in revisiting (Morshed et al., 2022).
Based on the above, this study is important in analyzing the factors that influence the intention to revisit Glagalinggah's Cultural Forest ecotourism visitors using the Theory of Planned Behavior approach. This study is a new form of development of the Theory of Planned Behavior by including variables that have never been included in the attitude dimension, namely the service quality variable.
This study uses a quantitative approach. It was conducted in Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest, Kintamani Village, Kintamani District, Bangli Regency, Bali Province. This location was chosen as the research location because Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest is an ecotourism destination in a forest area that is directly managed by the community. This destination has limitations in its management and marketing, which need to be solved. The research will be conducted for three months, namely December 2024 - February 2025.
The population in this study was visitors to Glagalinggah, The Cultural Forest. The number of visitors to Glagalinggah's Cultural Forest cannot be calculated with certainty (infinite) because it is dynamic. This study uses a non-probability sampling method with a purposive sampling technique. The number of indicators in this study is 29 indicators, so the sample size ranges from 145 to 290 respondents.
Based on these considerations, the sample size in this study was 290 respondents. The method used for data collection in this study was a survey. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire with a number of written statements used to obtain information from respondents. The data analysis technique used in this study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) or a structural equation model based on variance or component-based SEM called Partial Least Square (PLS).
The results of the convergent validity test show that all outer loading values of the indicators in this research variable have a value greater than 0.70. Thus, it can be concluded that all indicators have met the requirements of convergent validity and are declared valid. The results of the analysis show that there is very good discriminant validity, which can be seen from the correlation value of the revisit intention variable (Y) with its indicators, which is higher than the correlation of the visitor satisfaction indicator (Z1), memorable tourism experience (Z2), destination image (Z3), and service quality (X). The correlation of the visitor satisfaction variable (Z1) with its indicators is higher than the service quality (X), memorable tourism experience (Z2), destination image (Z3), and revisit intention (Y). The correlation of the memorable tourism experience variable (Z2) with its indicators is higher than the correlation of the service quality indicator (X), visitor satisfaction (Z1), destination image (Z3), and revisit intention (Y). The correlation of the destination image variable (Z3) with its indicators is higher than the correlation of the service quality indicator (X), visitor satisfaction (Z1), memorable tourism experience (Z2), and revisit intention (Y). Furthermore, the correlation of the service quality variable (X) with the indicators is higher than the correlation of visitor satisfaction (Z1), memorable tourism experience (Z2), destination image (Z3), and intention to revisit (Y). It can be explained that all indicators in each variable are valid.
Table 2 shows that the variables of intention to revisit, service quality, visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image have AVE values for each variable greater than 0.50, so the model can be said to be good.
Table 3 shows that the composite reliability and Cronbach alpha results of the variables revisit intention, visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experience, destination image, and service quality all have values above 0.70. Thus, it can be concluded that the variables have good reliability.
Table 4 shows that the visitor satisfaction variable has an R-square value of 0.175, indicating that the service quality variable can explain 17.5 percent of the variability of the visitor satisfaction construct. Meanwhile, 82.5 percent of the visitor satisfaction variable is explained by variables outside the model. The memorable tourism experience variable has an R-square value of 0.127, indicating that the service quality variable can explain 12.7 percent of the variability of the memorable tourism experience construct. Meanwhile, 87.3 percent of the memorable tourism experience variable is explained by variables outside the model. Furthermore, the destination image variable has an R-square value of 0.125, indicating that the service quality variable can explain 12.5 percent of the variability of the destination image construct.
Meanwhile, 87.5 percent of the destination image variable is explained by variables outside the model. Likewise, the variable of revisit intention has an R-square value of 0.570, meaning that the variables of service quality, visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experience, and destination image can explain 57 percent of the variability of the construct of revisit intention. In comparison, variables outside the model explain 43 percent of the revisit intention variable. From the calculation results, a Q2 value of 0.729 was obtained, so it can be concluded that the model has a predictive relevance value or the model is suitable for use in predicting.
Hypothesis 1 on the service quality variable on the intention to revisit has a t-statistics value of 4.409 (4.409 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 < 0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. Hypothesis 2 on the service quality variable on visitor satisfaction has a t-statistics value of 7.641 (7.641 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 < 0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on visitor satisfaction. Hypothesis 3 on the variable of service quality towards memorable tourism experience has a t-statistics value of 5.967 (5.967 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on memorable tourism experiences. Hypothesis 4 on the variable of service quality towards destination image has a t-statistics value of 5.441 (5.441 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on destination image. Hypothesis 5 on the variable of visitor satisfaction towards revisit intention has a t-statistics value of 2.603 (2.603 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.010 (0.010 <0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that visitor satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. Hypothesis 6 on the memorable tourism experience variable on revisit intention has a t-statistics value of 3.834 (3.834 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that a memorable tourism experience has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. Hypothesis 7 on the destination image variable on revisit intention has a t-statistics value of 5.506 (5.506 ≥ 1.96) and a p-value of 0.000 (0.000 <0.05), so the hypothesis is accepted. These results indicate that destination image has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. The results of the study showed that service quality has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. This means that the better the quality of service felt by visitors, the higher the visitor's intention to revisit the Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest tourist destination. The results of this study are in line with the results of Wang et al. (2021a), who found that attentive and communicative staff can encourage positive visitor experiences and encourage repeat visits. The findings of this study support previous research conducted by Rooij et al. (2024), who found that service quality has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit Dutch historical heritage sites. The results of the study showed that service quality has a positive and significant effect on visitor satisfaction. This shows that the better the quality of service perceived by visitors, the higher the satisfaction felt by visitors. Service quality that is able to meet the needs and desires of visitors can increase visitor satisfaction. Service quality is said to be good if the service received by visitors is in accordance with visitor expectations. Perceived service quality involves customer perceptions of service quality based on a comparison of their desires or expectations and the actual service received. When the service provided can meet visitor expectations, this will have a significant impact on visitor attitudes in the form of emotional reactions that result in positive results towards the service experience, namely visitor satisfaction. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Iqbal et al. (2018), who found that service quality has a positive and significant relationship with satisfaction. Armbrecht and Andersson (2020) also found that service quality affects visitor satisfaction. Chan et al. (2021), in their research in the Malaysian Nature Reserve, also revealed that service quality was found to have a significant and positive impact on satisfaction. The same results were also obtained from the research of Rooij et al. (2024), who found that service quality had a significant and positive impact on satisfaction.
The results of the study indicate that service quality has a positive and significant effect on memorable tourist experiences. This means that the better the quality of service perceived by visitors, the better the memorable tourist experience felt by visitors. The quality of destination services that are able to meet the needs and desires of visitors will create a positive experience for visitors. The results of this study are in line with the results of the study by Meesala and Paul (2018), which stated that employee responsiveness, such as listening to complaints and being enthusiastic about helping customers, can improve customer experience. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Zatori et al. (2018), which found that service quality has a positive effect on memorable tourist experiences. Kuo et al. (2018), in their study on museum tourism in Taiwan, also found a positive impact of service quality on visitor experience and its relationship with behavioral intentions. Ellis et al. (2019), in the context of tourism and recreation, showed a positive effect of service quality on customer experience; this is in line with the findings of Li et al. (2019) in their study on cultural heritage site tourism, found a positive effect of service quality on memorable tourist experiences. In line with this, Tabaeeian et al. (2023), in their research on tourists in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey, found that service quality contributed significantly to memorable experiences. The results of the study showed that service quality had a positive and significant effect on destination image. This means that the better the quality of service felt by visitors, the better the image of the Glagalinggah Cultural Forest destination in the eyes of visitors. The quality of service provided by the Glagalinggah Cultural Forest destination manager that is able to meet the needs and desires of visitors will form a positive destination image for visitors. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Manyangara et al. (2023), which found that service quality has a positive impact on destination image. Dewi and Abidin (2021) also found that service quality is positively and significantly related to the destination image. Kumar et al. (2020), in their research, also found that service quality is positively and directly related to destination image in the Malaysian tourism industry where, which is in line with the results of Jeong and Kim's (2019) study on sports tourism in China, which found that service quality at events has a positive relationship with destination image.
The results of the study show that visitor satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. This means that the higher the visitor satisfaction, the higher the visitor's intention to revisit Glagalinggah's Cultural Forest ecotourism. When visitors' expectations of the tourism experience at Glagalinggah the Cultural Forest are met or even exceeded, visitors will feel satisfied, and this can then directly influence their intention to revisit Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest ecotourism destination. The findings in this study support previous studies conducted by Abbasi et al. (2021) and Rasoolimanesh et al. (2023), which found that tourist satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit a destination. Evren et al. (2020) stated that satisfaction has a significant effect on long-term and short-term revisit intentions. Because satisfaction is important in evaluating revisit intention (Gregoriades et al., 2023), Glagalinggah the Cultural Forest ecotourism managers need to meet visitors' expectations from the tourism experience provided.
The results of the study show that memorable tourist experiences have a positive and significant effect on revisit intentions. This means that the better the memorable tourist experience, the higher the visitor's intention to revisit Glagalinggah's Cultural Forest ecotourism. Memorable tourist experiences felt by visitors to Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest can influence the identity of Glagalinggah The Cultural Forest by fostering a sense of dependence on this destination, which can ultimately influence visitors' behavioral intentions, namely revisit behavior. The findings of this study support previous research conducted by Sharma and Nayak (2019), which found that memorable tourist experiences have a direct and positive effect on revisit intentions; these results are in line with Quynh et al. (2021) who found that revisit intentions are significantly influenced by memorable tourist experiences. The results of this study are also in line with Zhou et al. (2022), who found a strong and positive effect of memorable tourist experiences on revisit intentions. The results of this study indicate that destination image has a positive and significant effect on revisit intentions. This means that the higher the image of the Glagalinggah Cultural Forest destination in the eyes of visitors, the higher the intention of visitors to revisit the Glagalinggah Cultural Forest ecotourism. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Nam et al. (2022), which found that destination image significantly influences revisit intention. The results of this study also support the findings of Morshed et al. (2022), who found that destination image tends to influence and lead to interest in revisiting. Wang et al. (2021b) and Atmari and Putri (2021) also found that destination image has a positive and significant influence on revisit intention, which means that the better the positive image of a tourist destination, the stronger the intention of tourists to revisit the tour.
The results further underscore the complex relationship between service quality and revisit intention, illustrating that the impact of service quality is not direct but is rather channeled through several mediating factors. Visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image all play crucial roles in this process. For instance, the positive influence of service quality on revisit intention via visitor satisfaction implies that when tourists are satisfied with the service provided at a destination, they are more likely to return. The correlation value of 0.072 and the t-statistic of 2.487 affirm that visitor satisfaction acts as an important intermediary, confirming that service quality does not just directly increase revisit intention but also fosters satisfaction, which then translates into future visits. Likewise, the significant indirect effect of service quality on revisit intention through memorable tourism experiences, with a correlation value of 0.095 and a t-statistic of 2.989, suggests that when tourists have exceptional and unforgettable experiences, they are more inclined to revisit. This finding emphasizes that creating lasting memories is an essential component of service quality, contributing to tourists' decisions to return.
Moreover, the study reveals that destination image also plays a substantial mediating role, with a correlation value of 0.115 and a t-statistic of 3.765, indicating that a positive and appealing destination image influences the likelihood of revisit intention. A strong destination image, shaped by high service quality, not only enhances tourists' perceptions but also creates an emotional connection that encourages repeat visits. Together, these findings reinforce the idea that service quality alone may not be enough to ensure revisit intention; rather, it is the way service quality influences satisfaction, experiences, and perceptions of the destination that ultimately determines whether tourists will return.
In practical terms, destination managers should focus on improving service quality across multiple dimensions, as its effects are amplified through the satisfaction, experiences, and perceptions of visitors. This approach can lead to a stronger emotional bond between tourists and the destination, fostering loyalty and repeat visits. The study’s findings also provide valuable insights for future research, suggesting that other external factors, such as social recommendations, media influence, or accessibility, could further explain the dynamics between service quality and revisit intention.
Table 7 shows that the VAF value for each relationship between exogenous and endogenous variables ranges from 20% to 80%. This shows that the three mediating variables partially mediate the relationship between service quality and revisit intention.
Visitor satisfaction plays a role as a partial mediator in the relationship between service quality and revisit intention, with a Variance Accounted For (VAF) value of 28%, indicating that visitor satisfaction significantly contributes to partially mediating the influence of service quality on revisit intention. Memorable tourism experiences also function as partial mediators in the relationship between service quality and revisit intention, with a VAF value of 34%. This means that service quality not only directly influences revisit intention but also through increasing memorable tourism experiences. Furthermore, destination image was also found to be a partial mediator in the relationship between service quality and revisit intention, with a VAF value of 38%. This means that service quality not only directly influences revisit intention but also increases a more positive destination image.
This analysis shows that strategies to increase revisit intention do not only depend on improving service quality directly but also on optimizing visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image. Improving service quality will directly increase revisit intention, but the effect can be further strengthened by improving visitor satisfaction, memorable tourism experiences, and destination image. Of the three mediating variables in this study, it was found that destination image had the strongest mediating effect at 38%, followed by memorable tourism experiences at 34% and visitor satisfaction at 28%.
The results of the visitor satisfaction test as a mediator of the influence of service quality on revisit intention with the VAF test criteria show that visitor satisfaction partially mediates the influence of service quality on revisit intention, with a Variance Accounted For (VAF) value of 28% (20% ≤ VAF ≤ 80%). This means that the increase in revisit intention is not entirely influenced by service quality. There are other factors outside of service quality that influence revisit intention. Visitor satisfaction is also not the only mediator that influences service quality on revisit intention, and there is a role for other factors as mediators. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Soleimani and Einolahzadeh (2018), which stated that service quality leads to the intention to revisit a destination through satisfaction. Iqbal et al. (2018) also revealed a positive and significant relationship between service quality and behavioral intention through customer satisfaction. Naibho and Hariyanto (2022) also found that tourist satisfaction mediates the influence of service quality on revisit intention. The test results with the VAF test criteria show that the Variance Accounted For (VAF) value of the role of memorable tourism experiences as a mediator of the influence of service quality on revisit intentions is 34%. Where this value is in the range of 20% ≤ VAF ≤ 80%, which indicates that memorable tourism experiences partially mediate the influence of service quality on revisit intentions. This means that the increase in revisit intentions is not entirely influenced by service quality. There are other factors outside of service quality that influence revisit intentions.
Memorable tourism experiences are also not the only mediators that influence service quality on revisit intentions; there are other factors that play a role as mediators. The findings in this study support the research of Kuo et al. (2018), which found that memorable tourism experiences mediate service quality and revisit behavioral intentions on museum tours in Taiwan. This is in line with the findings of Ng et al. (2022), who found that memorable tourism experiences mediate service quality and revisit intentions in tea tourism. Therefore, tourism managers must improve memorable tourism experiences by improving service quality to increase visitors' revisit intentions. Based on the test results with the VAF test criteria, the Variance Accounted For (VAF) value for the role of destination image as a mediator of the influence of service quality on revisit intention is 38%. This value is greater than 20% and less than 80%. This indicates that destination image partially mediates the influence of service quality on revisit intention. This means that the increase in revisit intention is not entirely influenced by service quality. There are other factors outside of service quality that influence revisit intention. Destination image is also not the only mediator that influences service quality on revisit intention, or there is a role for other factors as mediators. The findings in this study support previous research conducted by Manyangara et al. (2023), which found that destination image was proven to mediate the influence of service quality on revisit intention. Davras and Ozpercin (2023) found that destination image has a mediating role in the relationship between service quality and revisit intention. The results of this study also support Soleimani and Einolahzadeh (2018), who stated that service quality leads to the intention to revisit a destination through destination image, and Timur (2018), who found that destination image has a mediating effect on the relationship between service quality and revisit intention.
The practical implications of these findings suggest that destination managers should prioritize improving service quality, as it positively influences visitor satisfaction, memorable tourist experiences, and the destination image, which in turn encourages revisiting intentions. Specific actions, such as enhancing information accessibility, offering more tourist attractions, and providing interactive cultural experiences, can significantly boost the overall visitor experience. Additionally, considering the mediating roles of visitor satisfaction, memorable experiences, and destination image, destination managers should tailor their strategies to address both the tangible and emotional aspects of the visitor journey. From a theoretical perspective, this study reinforces the interconnectedness of service quality, visitor satisfaction, and destination image in shaping tourists' behaviors, while contributing to the body of knowledge on the multi-dimensional factors that influence revisiting intentions in tourism. Future research could expand the model by incorporating additional variables like social recommendations, media influence, and accessibility to provide a more comprehensive understanding of tourist decision-making.
Based on the results of the discussion, the following conclusions can be drawn: Service quality has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. Service quality has a positive and significant effect on visitor satisfaction. Service quality has a positive and significant effect on memorable tourist experiences. Service quality has a positive and significant effect on destination image. Visitor satisfaction has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. A memorable tourist experience has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. Destination image has a positive and significant effect on the intention to revisit. Visitor satisfaction partially mediates the effect of service quality on the intention to revisit. A memorable tourist experience can partially mediate the effect of service quality on the intention to revisit. Destination image can partially mediate the effect of service quality on the intention to revisit.
Based on the results of the discussion and conclusions, the suggestions that can be given are focused on the lowest average score but have a high loading factor. Improvement strategies will be more effective if directed at aspects that have a large influence on variables (high site effect) but are still weak in implementation or public perception. The researcher suggests that destination managers can understand the general needs of visitors, such as the need for information about the destination, both at tourist locations and on social media; destination managers can increase tourist attractions so that they can provide many experiences to visitors, need to improve cultural experiences for visitors by presenting more interactive programs, such as traditional art performances, local craft workshops, and local culinary specialties, presenting interesting cultural performances that can be scheduled on certain days so that visitors know for sure what cultural performances will be presented. For further research, it is recommended to add variables with other relevant aspects, such as social recommendations, reviews and public opinion, community support, media and trend influence, and accessibility.
Original paper, i.e. Figures, Tables, References, and Authors' Contacts available at http://rjoas.com/issue-2025-05/article_03.pdf