How Outstanding Universal Value Attractiveness and Tourism Crowding Affect Visitors' Satisfaction?

Area of Science:

• Heritage Tourism
• Environmental Psychology
• Sustainable Development

Background:

• World Heritage Sites (WHS) aim for sustainable development through the 5Cs strategy (credibility, communication, capacity-building, conservation, community).
• Tourist perceptions of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) attractiveness, crowding, and behavior significantly impact heritage protection and sustainable tourism.
• Understanding tourist satisfaction is key for effective heritage management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the factors influencing tourist satisfaction at Mount Sanqingshan National Park.
• To analyze the roles of OUV attractiveness, perceived tourist crowding, and destination attachment in shaping tourist satisfaction.
• To provide insights for heritage preservation and visitor management aligned with WHS objectives.

Main Methods:

• Structural equation modeling was used to analyze 536 questionnaire responses from tourists.
• The study examined the relationships between OUV attractiveness, tourist crowding perception, destination attachment, and tourist satisfaction.
• Data was collected from visitors at Mount Sanqingshan National Park.

Main Results:

• Perceived tourist crowding had no significant negative effect on OUV attractiveness, destination attachment, or tourist satisfaction, with low crowding levels observed.
• OUV attractiveness significantly and positively influenced both destination attachment and tourist satisfaction.
• Destination attachment demonstrated a significant positive effect on tourist satisfaction, highlighting the importance of heritage-place connection.

Conclusions:

• OUV attractiveness and destination attachment are key drivers of tourist satisfaction in World Heritage Sites.
• While crowding was not a significant factor in this study, OUV's appeal and visitors' connection to the site are paramount.
• The findings support the 5Cs objectives by offering practical implications for enhancing visitor management and heritage preservation strategies.