Attractive inbound marketing on tourist loyalty at tourism destination in Indonesia

Tourist loyalty is the commitment of tourists to a destination, which is reflected in their desire to make repeat visits, give positive recommendations to others, and maintain a preference for the destination despite similar choices. This research investigates the impact of omni-channel marketing on tourist loyalty by analyzing the roles of inbound marketing, memorable tourist experiences, and destination images. This study’s population consists of domestic tourists who visit several tourist attractions on Lake Toba, especially in Balige Regency, Simalungun Regency, and Samosir Regency. However, the sample is determined as part of the total population chosen to represent the entire population. Using a quantitative research design, data were collected from 356 participants via questionnaires. Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed, followed by Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). Results indicate that omni-channel marketing contributes significantly to creating memorable tourist experiences, though it does not directly influence loyalty. Furthermore, omni-channel marketing positively affects attractive inbound marketing, enhancing memorable tourist experiences. However, despite these enhancements in experience, more than memorable tourist experiences are required to drive loyalty substantially. Likewise, attractive inbound marketing does not significantly affect loyalty through memorable tourist experiences. However, destination attributes directly influence tourist loyalty, underscoring the importance of well-maintained and appealing attractions for fostering repeat visits.