Table 1. Key factors motivating the... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1.

Key factors motivating the intention to (re)visit a fascinating destination

Factor	Description
Mystique	Mystique regards how a destination arouses tourists’ motivations to explore and discover its stories. Mystical destinations stimulate fascination and induce exploration and discovery, such as the ghosts, and other paranormal entities promised as enlivening visits to Scotland (Inglis and Holmes, 2003). Mystical journeys aim to discover places considered energetic, and tourists feel encouraged to return when the destination is fascinating (Inglis and Holmes, 2003; Liu et al., 2017)
Friendliness	Friendliness represents feelings related to human interactions and services in destination visits (Liu et al., 2017). They define friendliness as tourists’ subjective perception of the friendliness of human interactions and services. Accordingly, destinations with high friendliness make tourists feel welcome, reduce their anxiety about staying in an unfamiliar place, and empower them to explore a fascinating destination
Attractiveness	The attractiveness of a fascinating destination is measured according to the chosen tourist destination and the time allotted to enjoy a pleasant experience. It is primarily determined by the aesthetic judgment of tourists (Kirillova et al., 2014). Destinations with high attractiveness can make tourists interested in further exploring the place. Attraction represents the first step to inducing the desire to visit. Therefore, destination advertisements often focus on attractiveness (Du Rand and Heath, 2006; Liu et al., 2017)
Richness	The richness of tourist resources includes both natural and cultural diversity and is essential to the competitiveness of a tourist destination (Gomezelj and Mihalič, 2008). Furthermore, Liu et al. (2017) point out that destination richness improves the place’s perceived restoration and maintains the destination’s competitiveness through the strong intentions of tourists to revisit. Therefore, tourists prefer to visit destinations with varied tourist resources that, in abundance, stimulate the intention to revisit and allow tourists to enjoy several experiences in a single visit (Wang et al., 2010)
Uniqueness	The uniqueness of a fascinating destination relates to the difficulty of replacing one destination with another. Tourists subjectively determine the uniqueness of a destination according to their perception of its uniqueness and the difficulty of replacing the destination with others (Liu et al., 2017). The perceived uniqueness of a destination also allows tourists to enjoy the sense of mentally being away, thereby detaching them from their daily obligations and routines (Lehto, 2013)
Fitness	Fitness concerns the subjective perceptions of tourists regarding the fit between their self-image and a destination (Liu et al., 2017). Accordingly, tourists perceive that experiences at a destination fit with their self-image, allowing them to be themselves in the destination and enjoy involuntary attention freely (Liu et al., 2017). In summary, destination fitness results in tourists’ high loyalty and willingness to remain longer in a specific place, reflecting expenses and maintaining a long-term relationship with the destination (Liu et al., 2017)
Expectation	Tourist expectations regarding the intention to visit a particular destination are stimulated by the different sources of information concerning that place. These expectations are aligned with the authenticity found by tourists when enjoying a tourist destination. Therefore, satisfaction affects the tourists’ choices and may intensify their interest in a future trip (Gândara, 2008)
Electronic word of mouth	Electronic word of mouth consists of online communication that discusses product and service information. It also refers to consumers’ observations. In this regard, people share their opinions and experiences and judge the quality of products or services to help other consumers choose (Lee et al., 2008). Electronic word of mouth plays an essential role in the pre-trip stage when tourists consult online information and evaluate alternatives before traveling. Tourists often base their choices on acquired information (Cao et al., 2014; Lange-Faria and Elliot, 2012)
Information search	An information search is an initial stage of tourists choosing a tourist destination. It is “the motivating stimulus of knowledge stored in memory or acquisition of information from the environment” (Engel et al., 1995, p. 119). It is seen as a continuously changing process in which travelers use different sources to plan their trips (Guerra et al., 2014). Information search thus facilitates decision-making, as the tourist can be fascinated by the place (Zhang et al., 2016)

Factor	Description
Mystique	Mystique regards how a destination arouses tourists’ motivations to explore and discover its stories. Mystical destinations stimulate fascination and induce exploration and discovery, such as the ghosts, and other paranormal entities promised as enlivening visits to Scotland (Inglis and Holmes, 2003). Mystical journeys aim to discover places considered energetic, and tourists feel encouraged to return when the destination is fascinating (Inglis and Holmes, 2003; Liu et al., 2017)
Friendliness	Friendliness represents feelings related to human interactions and services in destination visits (Liu et al., 2017). They define friendliness as tourists’ subjective perception of the friendliness of human interactions and services. Accordingly, destinations with high friendliness make tourists feel welcome, reduce their anxiety about staying in an unfamiliar place, and empower them to explore a fascinating destination
Attractiveness	The attractiveness of a fascinating destination is measured according to the chosen tourist destination and the time allotted to enjoy a pleasant experience. It is primarily determined by the aesthetic judgment of tourists (Kirillova et al., 2014). Destinations with high attractiveness can make tourists interested in further exploring the place. Attraction represents the first step to inducing the desire to visit. Therefore, destination advertisements often focus on attractiveness (Du Rand and Heath, 2006; Liu et al., 2017)
Richness	The richness of tourist resources includes both natural and cultural diversity and is essential to the competitiveness of a tourist destination (Gomezelj and Mihalič, 2008). Furthermore, Liu et al. (2017) point out that destination richness improves the place’s perceived restoration and maintains the destination’s competitiveness through the strong intentions of tourists to revisit. Therefore, tourists prefer to visit destinations with varied tourist resources that, in abundance, stimulate the intention to revisit and allow tourists to enjoy several experiences in a single visit (Wang et al., 2010)
Uniqueness	The uniqueness of a fascinating destination relates to the difficulty of replacing one destination with another. Tourists subjectively determine the uniqueness of a destination according to their perception of its uniqueness and the difficulty of replacing the destination with others (Liu et al., 2017). The perceived uniqueness of a destination also allows tourists to enjoy the sense of mentally being away, thereby detaching them from their daily obligations and routines (Lehto, 2013)
Fitness	Fitness concerns the subjective perceptions of tourists regarding the fit between their self-image and a destination (Liu et al., 2017). Accordingly, tourists perceive that experiences at a destination fit with their self-image, allowing them to be themselves in the destination and enjoy involuntary attention freely (Liu et al., 2017). In summary, destination fitness results in tourists’ high loyalty and willingness to remain longer in a specific place, reflecting expenses and maintaining a long-term relationship with the destination (Liu et al., 2017)
Expectation	Tourist expectations regarding the intention to visit a particular destination are stimulated by the different sources of information concerning that place. These expectations are aligned with the authenticity found by tourists when enjoying a tourist destination. Therefore, satisfaction affects the tourists’ choices and may intensify their interest in a future trip (Gândara, 2008)
Electronic word of mouth	Electronic word of mouth consists of online communication that discusses product and service information. It also refers to consumers’ observations. In this regard, people share their opinions and experiences and judge the quality of products or services to help other consumers choose (Lee et al., 2008). Electronic word of mouth plays an essential role in the pre-trip stage when tourists consult online information and evaluate alternatives before traveling. Tourists often base their choices on acquired information (Cao et al., 2014; Lange-Faria and Elliot, 2012)
Information search	An information search is an initial stage of tourists choosing a tourist destination. It is “the motivating stimulus of knowledge stored in memory or acquisition of information from the environment” (Engel et al., 1995, p. 119). It is seen as a continuously changing process in which travelers use different sources to plan their trips (Guerra et al., 2014). Information search thus facilitates decision-making, as the tourist can be fascinated by the place (Zhang et al., 2016)