Factors Influencing the Quality of Cultural Tourism Experiences: Integrating Don Ca Tai Tu and Cai Luong Performing Arts in the Mekong Delta

Abstract : This article presents a conceptual framework and research protocol for investigating the factors that influence the quality of cultural tourism experiences associated with Đờn ca tài tử (Southern Vietnamese folk music) and Cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Recognised by UNESCO as a Representative Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, Đờn ca tài tử embodies the cultural soul of Southern Vietnam. Despite its heritage significance and the growing global shift toward experience-based tourism, the integration of these traditional performing arts into tourism offerings remains underdeveloped and empirically understudied. This article addresses three critical research gaps: the absence of an integrated theoretical framework combining Experience Economy Theory, Authenticity Theory, Co-creation Theory, Memorable Tourism Experience (MTE), and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model; the lack of quantitative studies employing structural equation modelling in this context; and the scarcity of comprehensive research on cultural tourism experiences tied to these art forms in the Mekong Delta. The proposed research employs an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, combining qualitative interviews with artisans, managers, and tourists, followed by a quantitative survey of 400-500 respondents analysed using PLS-SEM. This article contributes to the theoretical advancement of cultural heritage tourism research and offers practical implications for sustainable tourism development in the Mekong Delta.