Antecedents and outcomes of memorable wildlife tourism experiences

Sthapit, Erose ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1650-3900, Garrod, Brian, Coudounaris, Dafnis N, Björk, Peter, Erul, Emrullah and Song, Hanqun (2024) Antecedents and outcomes of memorable wildlife tourism experiences. Journal of Ecotourism, 23 (4). pp. 495-518. ISSN 1472-4049

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Abstract

Using a theoretical foundation based on memory-dominant logic, this study aims to develop and test an integrative model of memorable wildlife tourism experiences (MWTEs). The study first considers the role of escapism, experiencescapes, experience co-creation and education as antecedents of MWTE. It then examines the relationship between MWTE, satisfaction and hedonic well-being. Data were gathered from 202 tourists over 18 years old who had been on a wildlife safari between September and December 2022. An online survey questionnaire was distributed via Amazon Mechanical Turk. The empirical results suggest that when the importance of escapism, experience co-creation and educational experiences in the experience sought is higher and when the experiencescape is more appealing, the memorability of the experience will be stronger. More memorable experiences are associated with greater tourist satisfaction and hedonic well-being. Furthermore, this study discusses theoretical and managerial implications along with recommendations for future research.