Authenticity, Mindset, and Time: Shaping Sacred Encounters in Spiritual and Dark Tourism

This research examines how sacred meaning is constructed through tourism in emotionally charged Indian settings: spiritual, dark (thanatouristic), and hybrid. Using a two-study mixed-method approach, it reveals two dimensions of authenticity, feeling and setting, that shape enduring visitor–site connections. Study 1 uses grounded theory to uncover meaning-making processes in sacred and dark settings. The findings reveal that sacralization is an emergent, coconstructed phenomenon, occurring at the intersection of a site’s material “setting authenticity” and a visitor’s internal “feeling authenticity.” This suggests that sacred meaning is neither inherent to the location nor purely subjective, but a dynamic product of their interaction. Study 2 demonstrates that site type influences sacralization via different authenticity pathways, moderated by traveler mindset and time perception. By linking sacralization to cultural and experiential sustainability, this study offers a novel framework for destination design and meaningful tourism experience management.