IMPACTS OF COUNTRY-SPECIFIC ASPECTS ON TOURISTS’ REVISIT INTENTIONS TO CULTURAL HERITAGE SITES: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF DESTINATION IMAGE

Purpose – The current study seeks to appraise the key factors motivating foreign tourists to revisit cultural heritage sites. Methodology – Data were gathered through questionnaires distributed to foreign tourists visiting Jordanian heritage sites, selected using purposive sampling. Of the 350 responses gathered, 309 were deemed suitable for statistical analysis. Structural equation modeling was conducted using SmartPLS. Findings – Safety, security, and the destination image were revealed to be positively associated with the intention to revisit cultural and heritage places. Contrarily, country knowledge, accessibility, and price reasonableness were insignificant. The destination image significantly mediated the relationship between country-specific aspects and revisit intention. Nonetheless, the mediation effect was insignificant on the relationship between country knowledge, accessibility, and price reasonableness. Originality – The current study applied a novel approach by incorporating country-specific factors, the destination image, and revisit intention to appraise cultural and heritage tourism. Specifically, a positive destination image formed after visiting cultural and heritage sites significantly influences revisit intention, fostering destination loyalty and contributing to the economic sustainability of the tourism sector.