Examining Supply-Demand Coordination Mechanism and Consumer Satisfaction in Cultural Tourism from a Service Perspective

Abstract

The cultural tourism industry faces significant challenges due to supply-demand imbalance, which severely restricts resource efficiency and erodes consumer satisfaction. To address this dilemma, this study adopts a Service Science perspective, introducing and constructing "Scientific Service" as a multi-dimensional construct (encompassing operational predictability, information accuracy, process efficiency, and experiential interactivity). The aim is to explore its intrinsic mechanism for enhancing consumer satisfaction. This research develops a chain model with (consumer-perceived) "supply-demand coordination" as a mediating variable. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted on empirical data from 485 visitors to national first-class museums and 5A-rated cultural ancient towns. The results indicate that Scientific Service significantly improves (perceived) supply-demand coordination and consumer satisfaction; supply-demand coordination is a crucial antecedent for enhancing consumer satisfaction; and "supply-demand coordination" plays a significant partial mediating role between Scientific Service and consumer satisfaction. The findings of this study reveal the mechanism by which "Scientific Service" enhances satisfaction, confirming that technology empowerment must optimize the fundamental management issue of "supply-demand coordination" to be efficiently transformed into perceived value for tourists.