Authors:
Ni Made Eka Mahadewi, Ketut Arjaya, I. Wayan Mertha, Luh Putu Oka Agustini, Dahlan Abdullah, Dmitriy Yurievich Tumanov, Shakirova Indira Abdulkhakovna
Addresses:
Department of Tourism, Bali Tourism Polytechnic, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Event Management Study Program, Bali Tourism Polytechnic, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Tourism Destination Study Program, Bali Tourism Polytechnic, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia. Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Department of Law, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.
Abstract:
Event tourism has advanced substantially. What was once viewed as a secondary attraction now lies at the core of how destinations plan, brand, and expand. This study examines the psychological pathway that determines whether a visitor becomes a committed destination advocate. Specifically, it investigates how destination readiness (DR) and memorable event experiences (MEE) foster destination loyalty (DL)—not necessarily directly, but often through a multi-step sequence involving destination image (DI) and satisfaction (DS). Put differently, how a location is perceived and how well it fulfills expectations matter greatly, even before loyalty takes shape. The findings provide a detailed account. Memorable event experiences are identified as the most powerful direct driver of loyalty (β = 0.375, p < 0.001). Destination readiness, by contrast, does not directly influence loyalty; instead, it operates entirely through indirect mechanisms, serving less as an explicit motivator and more as a quiet but indispensable foundation. The sequential mediation routes that emerge—DR→DI→DS→DL and MEE→DI→DS→DL—highlight the cognitive and affective chain through which a single event visit becomes a durable relationship with a place. For destination planners and policymakers, the implication is straightforward: Infrastructure development and experiential programming are not competing priorities. They represent two sides of the same endeavor, and aligning both is essential for converting first-time visitors into long-term advocates for the destination.
Keywords: Destination Loyalty (DL); Memorable Event Experiences (MEE); Event Tourism; Destination Readiness (DR); Destination Planners; Indispensable Foundation.
Received on: 24/01/2025, Revised on: 19/03/2025, Accepted on: 20/06/2025, Published on: 05/06/2026
DOI: 10.64091/ATIML.2026.000340
AVE Trends in Intelligent Management Letters, 2026 Vol. 2 No. 2 , Pages: 102-114