Examining the influence of experiential quality on experiential satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage revitalization

Abstract

To provide actionable recommendation for revitalized heritage manager to balance heritage conservation with financial sustainability, this study examines the casual relationship between experiential quality, experiential satisfaction, and behavioral intentions and identifies the most significant primary dimension constituting experiential quality in the context of heritage revitalization. The research outcome is expected to provide actionable recommendations for balancing heritage preservation with financial sustainability through cost effective revitalized heritage sites management. Building upon the conceptual framework by Wu and Li (2017), this study identifies the four primary dimensions of visitor perception: Interaction Quality, Physical Environment Quality, Outcome Quality and Access Quality. Three hypotheses are proposed (H1) All Primary dimensions of experiential quality positively influence experiential quality; (H2) Experiential quality positively influences experiential satisfaction; and (H3) Experiential satisfaction positively influence behavioral intention (Intention to revisit, Intention to recommend and Willingness to pay more). Additionally, four sub-hypotheses (H1a-H1d) suggest that each primary dimension has positive influence on experiential quality, with Outcome Quality being the most dominant. A quantitative approach was adopted by collecting data through questionnaire surveys from 86 visitors aged 18 and above who visited the Jao Tsung-I Academy between the period of January 2024 and January 2025. The questionnaire includes three sections: 1) Demographic information; 2) Primary dimensions of experiential quality; and 3) Higher constructs (experiential quality, experiential satisfaction and behavioral intention). Multiple regression analysis was adopted to identify the most significant primary dimensions of experiential quality, and two simple linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between, 1) experiential quality and experiential satisfaction; and 2) experiential satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The findings reveal that Outcome quality, Access quality and Interaction quality significantly influence experiential quality, thereby partially supports H1. Specifically, Outcome Quality was the most significant dimension (H1c supported), followed by Access Quality and Interaction Quality (H1a and H1d supported). It highlights the importance of the quality of educational and instructive experience in shaping visitors’ overall perception. Additionally, experiential quality significantly positively influences experiential satisfaction (H2 supported) and experiential satisfaction significantly positively influences behavioral intention (H3 supported). These results validate the hypothetical chain relationship, which forms a fundamental basis of the study: the perceived superiority of revitalized heritage sites enhances visitor’s satisfaction and ultimately encourages their intentions to revisit, recommend and spend more. The study offers practical recommendation, that strategically guide resource allocation, prioritizing efforts on aspects that highly enhance visitor satisfaction. Specifically, it recommends periodic reviews and updates of exhibition’s content and more guided tours f to ensure the quality of educational and instructive experience. For remote destination lacking public transportation options, shuttle services connecting to the nearest railway station could improve accessibility. Additionally, avoiding unnecessary facilities upgrade and excessive manpower could reduce unnecessary operational expenditure. Given visitors’ willingness to pay more, implementation of entrance fees, selling souvenirs or offering paid services are viable strategies to generate additional income, if visitors perceive the site’s quality as worth paying for. This approach achieves visitor retention and attraction while potentially cutting down unnecessary expense and implementing revenue-generating scheme. This study enhances the theoretical understanding of experiential quality within the context of heritage revitalization tourism. It addresses the critical gap by specifically investigating experiential quality for heritage revitalization in Hong Kong, The findings that physical environment quality was found to be insignificant that contradict with the result in Wu and Li (2017), highlights the visitors’ preference for intangible experience. The incorporation of willingness to pay more into behavioral intention further enrich the perspective on how experiential quality could influence financial viability. These results prompt the development of context-specific models, rather than a generalized approach. Overall, this research refines existing model for heritage revitalization in Hong Kong, fills theoretical gaps, and paves the way for future studies to explore the interrelationship between experiential quality and financial viability in various setting.