Lighting-Driven Immersion in Cave Tourism: A Structural Model of Aesthetic and Escape Experience in Gökgöl Cave

Despite increasing interest in immersive experiences within tourism, the specific psychological mechanisms that shape visitor engagement in show caves remain underexplored. This study investigates how aesthetic, and escape experiences contribute to visitor satisfaction in cave tourism, with a particular focus on the mediating role of decorative lighting. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of servicescape and experience economy, a structural model was developed to examine the direct and indirect effects of lighting, perceived risk, and aesthetic appraisal on immersive engagement. Data were collected from 408 visitors to Gökgöl Cave in Türkiye and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that aesthetic experience significantly influences both escape experience and satisfaction, while lighting enhances aesthetic perception but does not directly evoke psychological escape. Notably, perceived risk was not found to significantly affect escape, suggesting that regulated cave environments may attenuate emotional tension. Indirect effects further reveal that lighting improves satisfaction through its impact on aesthetic and escape experiences. The findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of sensory-driven immersion in nature-based tourism and underscore the role of aesthetic design in enhancing visitor outcomes in controlled cave settings.