What drives loyalty in sustainable tourism? Escapism and affordability at Central Java’s heritage sites

This research investigates the impact of Escapism Motivation (EM) and Affordability Perception (AP) on Destination Loyalty (DL), with a specific focus on how Visiting Sustainable Destination Intention (VSDI) mediates these relationships. A quantitative survey was conducted among tourists.The findings indicate a strong positive correlation between EM, VSDI, and DL, emphasizing the significant role of escapism as a psychological motivator in sustainable tourism. The research also identifies a notable influence of AP on both VSDI and DL, highlighting the importance of perceived economic value in sustainable tourism decisions. The Sobel test confirms VSDI significantly mediates the EM-DL relationship and marginally mediates the AP-DL relationship. They provide practical insights for sustainable tourism practitioners, emphasizing the need to focus on escapism experiences and affordability to foster tourist loyalty. This research contributes to the field by highlighting the mediating influence of sustainable tourism destinations, offering a novel perspective on tourist loyalty and behavior within sustainable tourism contexts.