Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Geography, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
Abstract
A B S T R A C T
Today, tourists’ mental engagement is a pivotal factor influencing their behavior and attitudes toward a destination. It plays a critical role in determining tourists’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction with a destination. Consequently, it is essential to identify and examine the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement in tourist destinations. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate and analyze the determinants of tourists’ mental engagement. Methodologically, this research adopts a descriptive-analytical approach and is applied in terms of its objectives. A mixed-method approach, combining literature review and fieldwork, was employed for data collection, with a questionnaire serving as the primary instrument. The study area comprises the tourist villages located in the Torghabeh District. Using Cochran’s formula for an unknown population, the sample size was determined to be 384 participants. The statistical population included all tourists aged 15 and above. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using SPSS software to identify the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement. The results indicated that six primary factors contribute to tourists’ mental engagement: economic conditions, rural tourism culture, village infrastructure, public services, the village’s general geography, and visual appeal. Among these, economic conditions exerted the most significant influence on tourists’ mental engagement in the surveyed villages. Therefore, it is imperative to examine these determinants in rural tourist destinations and implement strategies to strengthen the indicators associated with each factor. By addressing these factors, it is possible to foster long-term tourist satisfaction and loyalty toward the destination.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Like other businesses, rural tourism destinations strive to differentiate themselves from competitors and create unique experiences for their visitors, ultimately aiming to enhance tourist satisfaction. Numerous factors influence tourist satisfaction at a destination, among which tourists’ mental engagement plays a particularly significant role. Mental engagement is rooted in tourists’ behaviors and attitudes and reflects why they show greater interest in certain activities or aspects of a destination than in others, essentially representing a chain of preferences that shapes their overall experience. Tourists express their attitudes toward the products and services offered at a destination. Therefore, when tourism is regarded as a product and tourists as its consumers, mental engagement becomes a critical factor in shaping tourist experiences.
In rural tourism destinations, multiple factors influence tourists’ mental engagement, shaping their behaviors and attitudes toward the destination and affecting their intentions to revisit. Consequently, it is essential for managers and planners of tourist villages with significant attractions to identify the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement in order to enhance development and differentiate their destinations from competitors.
Torghabeh–Shandiz County, located in Razavi Khorasan Province, attracts numerous domestic tourists annually due to its abundant natural, cultural, and historical attractions, making it one of the most prominent and active tourism hubs in the country. Tourism constitutes a significant source of income and employment in the region; therefore, given its substantial economic impact, it is crucial to identify and consider the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement.
Accordingly, this research aims to identify the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement in the rural tourism destinations of Torghabeh, addressing the central question: What factors affect tourists’ mental engagement with rural tourism destinations?
Methodology
This study is classified as applied research in terms of its purpose and adopts a descriptive-analytical methodology. A combination of literature review and fieldwork was employed to collect the necessary data. To identify the factors influencing tourists’ mental engagement, 24 relevant items were extracted from previous studies using a literature-based approach. A questionnaire was then designed using a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (very good) to 5 (very poor).
The study area encompasses the Torghabeh section of Torghabeh–Shandiz County. Of the 26 inhabited villages in this section, 10 villages with the highest number of tourist attractions, according to the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, were selected as case studies. The statistical population consisted of all tourists aged 15 and above, both male and female, who stayed at least one night in these villages. Since the number of returning tourists is large and not officially recorded, Cochran’s formula for an unknown population was used to determine the sample size. Accordingly, with a 5% margin of error and a 95% confidence level, the sample size was determined to be 384 participants. Because the exact number of tourists in each village was unknown, the sample was distributed approximately equally across the 10 selected villages. Villages with larger tourist populations—Hesar, Maghan, Jagharq, and Kong—were allocated 39 participants each, while the remaining villages were assigned 38 participants.
To ensure the questionnaire’s validity, experts in rural planning and tourism were consulted, and their feedback confirmed the content validity of the items. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha in SPSS, yielding a coefficient of 0.854 for the items related to factors influencing mental engagement, indicating a high level of reliability.
Results and discussion
The findings indicate that regarding the frequency of visits to the studied tourist destinations, the majority of respondents (59.1%) had traveled to these destinations more than twice, while the smallest proportion (11.2%) had visited exactly twice. Concerning the type of travel, most trips (63.5%) were undertaken with family, whereas individual trips accounted for the smallest proportion (3.1%). Regarding the mode of transportation, the overwhelming majority of trips (93.2%) were made using private vehicles.
Concerning the length of stay, most visits (51%) were day trips, whereas only a small proportion (6%) involved stays of more than two nights. Regarding the purpose of travel, the majority of trips (70.8%) were for recreation and entertainment, whereas the smallest proportion (10.2%) was for visiting relatives and acquaintances.
Conclusion
Today, a critical factor in the success of rural tourism destinations is understanding tourists’ mental engagement with the destination, as it significantly influences their attitudes, behaviors, and future travel decisions. Identifying the factors that influence mental engagement in rural tourism destinations is therefore essential for effective destination management. To identify key indicators of tourists’ mental engagement in the studied villages, six factors were extracted: economic conditions, rural tourism culture, village infrastructure, public services, the village’s general geography, and visual appeal. Consequently, rural tourism destinations should prioritize these six factors to enhance visitor satisfaction and achieve long-term success.
Funding
There is no funding support.
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.
Keywords
Subjects
