Key Factors and Configuration Analysis of Improving Tourist Loyalty in Forest Park: Evidence from Yingde National Forest Park, South China

Abstract

Tourist perceived value is an important antecedent to loyalty by enhancing satisfaction, revisiting intentions, and recommendations, thereby promoting sustainable development of forest parks. However, existing research has not sufficiently examined the configurations of perceived value in relation to increasing tourist loyalty specifically in the context of forest parks, representing a notable gap in the existing literature that requires further investigation. To address this gap, both covariance-based structural equation model (CB-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) models were conducted to explore the joint effects of perceived value on tourist loyalty and identify pathways of perceived value dimensions to increase tourist loyalty, based on the Value-Satisfaction-Loyalty Chain model. A total of 404 valid questionnaires were collected from 436 visitors to the Yingde National Forest Park in southern China. Among the respondents, 54.2% were male, nearly 50% were over 36 years old, and 60% held a university degree. The results indicate that perceived value significantly influences tourist loyalty, with satisfaction playing a crucial mediating role between perceived value and loyalty. Notably, the indirect effect mediated by satisfaction was found to be greater than the direct effect of perceived value on loyalty. Five distinct pathways were identified for enhancing tourist loyalty, categorized into three models: the economic value-driven model, the functional value and epistemic value dual-core driven model, and the emotional and social value dual-core driven model. Additionally, four pathways were identified for enhancing tourist satisfaction, which subsequently improves tourist loyalty. These four pathways were grouped into two modes: the economic value-driven model and the functional value plus driven model. This study introduces an innovative perspective on the relationship between tourist perceived value and loyalty in forest parks, identifying key factors and configurations within the five dimensions of perceived value that enhance both tourist loyalty and satisfaction. Moreover, it extends the application of the Value-Satisfaction-Loyalty Chain theory to a forest park context. The findings provide valuable insights for forest park managers, guiding them in enhancing perceived value through targeted pathways to increase tourist revisit intentions and recommendations, ultimately supporting the park’s sustainable development. The influence of individual items on tourist satisfaction and loyalty, along with the identification of optimal item combinations to enhance loyalty, necessitates further investigation. Furthermore, a deeper exploration of the heterogeneity of factors and pathways for improving tourist loyalty is required.