Tourism Experience and Ecotourism Destination Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Environmental Beliefs

The increasing global popularity of ecotourism has prompted tourist destinations to accommodate a growing number of visitors who like nature and are prepared to adhere to the conservation criteria of the selected natural areas. Hence, this study analyses the influences of tourism experience and environmental beliefs on ecotourism destination loyalty among visitors in Selangor. A quantitative approach was utilised, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect 280 tourist responses through convenience sampling. These findings offer useful insights for policymakers and ecotourism operators in planning sustainable tourism strategies and enhancing the destination appeal. This study identifies statistically significant and favourable impacts of tourism experience and environmental beliefs on ecotourism destination loyalty. The findings empirically indicate that tourists are mostly drawn to natural environment locations, and those with tourism experience and environmental beliefs are inclined to participate in ecotourism. Policymakers must meticulously consider the planning and preservation of local resources and infrastructure for the advancement of ecotourism. Furthermore, the administration of the eco-site must effectively preserve the biodiversity and deliver a genuine ecotourism experience to enhance the ecotourism destination.