Tourist experiences at Borobudur Temple, Indonesia: Do sociodemographic factors matter?

This study investigates tourist experiences at Borobudur Temple, Indonesia, focusing on social return, memorable tourism experience (MTE), and revisit intention (TRI), while considering various sociodemographic factors. An exit survey was conducted with 230 recent visitors during July and August 2024. Nonparametric tests, including Wilcoxon Signed-Rank and Kruskal‒Wallis H, were employed to analyze the collected data regarding gender, nationality region, monthly income, and length of stay. The results indicate that tourists generally reported positive feelings from their social media posts, had favorable impressions of their visit, and expressed a strong intention to return. However, significant differences emerged across sociodemographic groups. Notably, international tourists consistently reported more positive social return, MTE, and TRI compared to domestic Indonesian tourists, who exhibited the lowest scores across all three experience dimensions. While males showed higher social return than females, gender did not significantly influence MTE or TRI. Furthermore, both monthly income and length of stay significantly correlated with tourist experiences, with higher income levels and longer stays associated with more positive outcomes, particularly in social return and revisit intention. Interesting patterns also include North American tourists reporting the highest MTE, but having lower TRI than Oceanian and South American visitors. These findings carry significant practical implications for the sustainable development of Borobudur Temple. The research underscores the importance of intensifying promotional efforts aimed at international visitors, potentially through collaborative tour packages, to enhance both revenue and local economic benefits. Additionally, the observed lower social return among domestic tourists highlights a compelling need for targeted cultural education initiatives to foster deeper engagement with their own heritage. This study contributes to understanding how sociodemographic factors shape diverse tourism experiences.