Tourist participation behaviors play a vital role in enhancing the competitiveness of tourist destinations. However, few studies conducted in the field of tourism have explored the antecedent variables that affect tourist participation behaviors. This study aims to analyse the effect of perception of accessibility on tourist participation behavior, the effect of perception of accessibility on customer delight, the effect of customer delight on tourist participation behavior, and the mediating effect of customer delight between perception of accessibility and tourist participation behavior. Quantitative approaches through the use of survey were used in this study. Data were collected using questionnaires involving 396 group tourists who have previously visited Xi’an. Respondents were chosen using multistage sampling technique. To analyse the data, descriptive analysis and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) were used. The findings showed that perception of accessibility positively affect participation behavior and customer delight. Further, customer delight positively affect on participation behavior. This study also showed that customer delight served as partial mediator between perception of accessibility and participation behavior. This research contributes to the participation behavior literature by considering perception of accessibility and customer delight as antecedent variables and quantifying their influences on tourist participation behavior. The findings of this study can serve as a reference for tourist destination managers when they conduct marketing practices.
Ahrholdt, D. C., Gudergan, S. P., & Ringle, C. M. (2017). Enhancing service loyalty: The roles of delight, satisfaction, and service quality. Journal of Travel Research, 56(4), 436-450.
Amorim, M., Rosa, M. J., & Santos, S. (2014). Managing customer participation and customer interactions in service delivery: the case of museums and educational services. Organizacija, 47(3), 166-175.
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the academy of marketing science, 16, 74-94.
Barnes, D. C., Kraemer, T., Gouthier, M. H. J., Ludwig, N., & Giese, A. (2021). After-service gifts: Evaluating how presence, context and value impact customer satisfaction and customer delight. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 29(3), 343-357.
Barnes, D. C., & Krallman, A. (2019). Customer delight: A review and agenda for research. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 27(2), 174-195.
Barnes, D. C., Mesmer-Magnus, J., Scribner, L. L., Krallman, A., & Guidice, R. M. (2020). Customer delight during a crisis: understanding delight through the lens of transformative service research. Journal of Service Management, 32(1), 129-141.
CNR.cn. (2024). Focusing on the transition from "internet-famous" to "long-lasting fame," Xi'an promotes the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry through transformation and innovation. https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1796591937848735600&wfr=spider&for=pc
Cui, F., Liu, Y., Chang, Y., Duan, J., & Li, J. (2016). An overview of tourism risk perception. Natural Hazards, 82, 643-658.
Dey, S., Ghosh, S., Datta, B., & Barai, P. (2017). A study on the antecedents and consequences of customer delight. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 28(1-2), 47-61.
Finn, A. (2012). Customer delight: distinct construct or zone of nonlinear response to customer satisfaction? Journal of Service Research, 15(1), 99-110.
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of marketing research, 18(1), 39-50.
Foroughi, B., Iranmanesh, M., Gholipour, H. F., & Hyun, S. S. (2019). Examining relationships among process quality, outcome quality, delight, satisfaction and behavioural intentions in fitness centres in Malaysia. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 20(3), 374-389.
Heinonen, K., Strandvik, T., & Voima, P. (2013). Customer dominant value formation in service. European business review, 25(2), 104-123.
Hongmei, Z., Lin, L., Liping, C., & Zhuowei, H. (2011). Tourism Destination Image Structural Model and Visitors’ Behavioral Intentions: Based on a Confirmatory Study of Localization of Potential Consumers. Tourism Science, 25, 35-45. https://doi.org/10.16323/j.cnki.lykx.2011.01.001
Hsieh, Y.-C., Chiu, H.-C., Tang, Y.-C., & Lin, W.-Y. (2018). Does raising value co-creation increase all customers’ happiness? Journal of Business Ethics, 152, 1053-1067.
Hsu, C.-L., & Lin, J. C.-C. (2016). Effect of perceived value and social influences on mobile app stickiness and in-app purchase intention. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 108, 42-53.
Jiang, Y. (2020). A cognitive appraisal process of customer delight: The moderating effect of place identity. Journal of Travel Research, 59(6), 1029-1043.
Jun-hui, Y., & Yong-hong, Z. (2019). Research on the haze's influence to the demestic tourist's intention and behavior: a case study of Xi'an Human Geography, 6, 136-145. https://doi.org/10.13959/j.issn.1003-2398.2019.06.016
Lättman, K., Olsson, L. E., & Friman, M. (2018). A new approach to accessibility–Examining perceived accessibility in contrast to objectively measured accessibility in daily travel. Research in Transportation Economics, 69, 501-511.
Oliver, R. L., Rust, R. T., & Varki, S. (1997). Customer delight: foundations, findings, and managerial insight. Journal of retailing, 73(3), 311-336.
Rahman, M. M., Ali, N. A., Jantan, A. H., Samuel, A. B., & Rahaman, M. S. (2021). Mediation using CB-SEM: a practical guideline. International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 18(2), 195-206.
Rasoolimanesh, S. M., Wang, M., Roldan, J. L., & Kunasekaran, P. (2021). Are we in right path for mediation analysis? Reviewing the literature and proposing robust guidelines. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 48, 395-405.
Reitsamer, B. F., & Brunner-Sperdin, A. (2017). Tourist destination perception and well-being: What makes a destination attractive? Journal of Vacation Marketing, 23(1), 55-72.
Revilla-Camacho, M. Á., Vega-Vázquez, M., & Cossío-Silva, F. J. (2015). Customer participation and citizenship behavior effects on turnover intention. Journal of Business research, 68(7), 1607-1611.
Thapa, B., Cahyanto, I., Holland, S. M., & Absher, J. D. (2013). Wildfires and tourist behaviors in Florida. Tourism Management, 36, 284-292.
Torres, E. N., & Ronzoni, G. (2018). The evolution of the customer delight construct: Prior research, current measurement, and directions for future research. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(1), 57-75.
Tóth, G., & Dávid, L. (2010). Tourism and accessibility: An integrated approach. Applied Geography, 30(4), 666-677.
Yan, Z., Hui, L., Wenbin, J., Liuxue, L., Yuemei, L., Bohan, L., & Lili, W. (2021). Third birth intention of the childbearing-age population in mainland China and sociodemographic differences: a cross-sectional survey. BMC public health, 21(1), 2280.
Yang, Y., Yinger, X., Yi, C., Xiaolian, C., & Xing, Z. (2024). The process mechanism of tourists’value co ? creation behavior in ethnic tourism community ? The case of Miao village in Xijiang?Guizhou. Journal of Arid Land ?esources and Environment, 38(3), 182-190.
Yi, Y., & Gong, T. (2013). Customer value co-creation behavior: Scale development and validation. Journal of Business research, 66(9), 1279-1284.
Yi, Y., Nataraajan, R., & Gong, T. (2011). Customer participation and citizenship behavioral influences on employee performance, satisfaction, commitment, and turnover intention. Journal of Business research, 64(1), 87-95.
Yining, C., Xiang, C., & Mengyu, F. (2023). Tourist perception and spatial differentiation of corridor tourist destination: A case of Duku Highway. Journal of Arid Land ?esources and Environment, 37(10), 199-208.
Chen, W., & Rosdi, S. A. M. (2025). Perception of Accessibility and Tourist Participation Behavior: Mediating Role of Customer Delight. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(4), 868–878.
Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
