Exploring Digital Tourist Behavior Among Young Visitors at Indonesian Cultural Heritage Destinations: A Mixed-Method Study

Abstract

The study examines how digital content influences the perception and satisfaction of tourists visiting Indonesian cultural heritage sites. As social media has become pervasive, young travelers now go to historic sites guided by four main sources of online interaction, namely user-generated content (UGC), firm-generated content (FGC), word-of-mouth (WOM), and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). The study employed an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach, beginning with qualitative interviews to explore tourists’ digital experiences, followed by a quantitative survey of 160 respondents who had previously visited heritage destinations in Indonesia. Findings indicate that UGC has the greatest impact on destination image, followed by WOM, FGC, and eWOM. Destination image, in turn, mediates the relationship between digital content and tourist satisfaction. Both findings combined support the importance of digital narratives and social validation in managing expectations and enhancing the tourist experience. The paper offers practical implications for destination marketers and tourism managers to develop content strategies aligned with contemporary online tourist behavior. Overall, a nuanced understanding of the interplay between digital content and visitor perception is essential for creating more experience-driven and sustainable approaches to heritage tourism in the digital era.