Interactive experiences and emotional bonds: creative tourism shaping place attachment and value

This study examines how perceived interactivity, cultural accessibility, and experience quality shape tourist satisfaction, perceived value, tourist loyalty, and place attachment in Malaysia's creative tourism context. Drawing on Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory, Service-Dominant Logic, and Place Attachment Theory, the study develops an integrated framework linking participatory experience attributes with evaluative, behavioral, and emotional outcomes. Using survey data from 500 visitors across Penang, Malacca, and Kuala Lumpur and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings show that all three experiential attributes significantly influence satisfaction, perceived value, and loyalty. Cultural accessibility emerges as one of the strongest and most consistent predictors, especially for satisfaction and perceived value. Satisfaction and loyalty mediate the relationship between experiential attributes and place attachment, while expectancy confirmation shows only limited moderating influence, with most moderation paths unsupported. The study contributes to creative tourism literature by clarifying how participatory and culturally accessible experiences are translated into place attachment through satisfaction, value, and loyalty mechanisms. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of designing accessible, interactive, and high-quality cultural experiences that foster both positive evaluations and deeper emotional connections with destinations.