Abstract:
This study aims at examining the influence of experiential marketing
(EM) on destination loyalty (DL) through the mediating effect of
tourists’ satisfaction and destination image in the tourists’ cultural
destinations in Sri Lanka. Review of literature headed the study to
develop the conceptual model with six hypotheses. The study facilitated
the survey strategy with a structured questionnaire, which was directed
to a representative sample of 600 international tourists who have
visited cultural areas in Sri Lanka. Both the measurement model and
the structural equation model were assessed through the AMOS
software, where all the constructs were valid, reliable and fit with the
model. The findings revealed that the experiential marketing has a
significant positive effect on destination loyalty only with the mediating
effect of destination image and satisfaction. Therefore, the researchers
suggest strategies for destination marketing authorities in Sri Lanka,
which may help to upgrade destination image, tourists’ satisfaction,
and experiential marketing practices to attract and keep more tourists
with cultural destinations in Sri Lanka.
