Title of Paper
The Role of Awe in Shaping Tourists’ Cultural Identity and Place Attachment
Abstract (150 Words)
The emotion of awe is believed to be one of the most desirable experiential accolades for tourists and providers of tourist experiences; however, research on awe in a cultural tourism context is scant. Applying mindfulness theory, this two-step mixed study aims to understand tourists’ experiences of awe in a cultural context, particularly its antecedents and consequences. Firstly, a content analysis based on online comments was performed to generate an explanatory model; and secondly, a survey was carried out on visitors to Zhejiang Provincial Museum to test the hypothesized model. The results of structural equation modeling analysis suggest that mindfulness exerts a significantly positive impact on awe, which in turn promotes visitors’ cultural identity and place attachment. Findings from this study extend the extant awe literature to a cultural heritage context (i.e. museums) and enrich knowledge base of the influence of cognitive processes on tourists’ travel experiences.
The Role of Awe in Shaping Tourists’ Cultural Identity and Place Attachment
The emotion of awe is believed to be one of the most desirable experiential accolades for tourists and providers of tourist experiences; however, research on awe in a cultural tourism context is scant. Applying mindfulness theory, this two-step mixed study aims to understand tourists’ experiences of awe in a cultural context, particularly its antecedents and consequences. Firstly, a content analysis based on online comments was performed to generate an explanatory model; and secondly, a survey was carried out on visitors to Zhejiang Provincial Museum to test the hypothesized model. The results of structural equation modeling analysis suggest that mindfulness exerts a significantly positive impact on awe, which in turn promotes visitors’ cultural identity and place attachment. Findings from this study extend the extant awe literature to a cultural heritage context (i.e. museums) and enrich knowledge base of the influence of cognitive processes on tourists’ travel experiences.