Exploring Heritage Tourism Intentions in Bangladesh: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Approach Among Bangladeshi and International Respondents

This study examines tourists’ visit intentions toward heritage destinations in Bangladesh using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework. Drawing on responses from both Bangladeshi and international respondents, the study explores heritage tourism visit intentions across diverse tourist groups and addresses the limited empirical evidence in developing heritage tourism contexts. A quantitative survey was conducted with 301 respondents from multiple national backgrounds. The study extends the TPB model by incorporating destination image, perceived risk, and novelty seeking as external constructs associated with attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that destination image positively predicted subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitude, while novelty seeking was positively associated with attitude. The domestic-international comparison further revealed significant differences in the relationships between destination image on attitude and subjective norms. Perceived risk had limited influence on tourists’ evaluations. The findings highlight the importance of destination perceptions in shaping behavioral evaluations and visit intentions among diverse tourist groups. This study contributes to the heritage tourism literature by extending TPB in an under-researched developing destination tourism environment and examining Bangladeshi and international respondent groups. The findings provide context-specific practical implications for destination managers seeking to engage diverse tourist markets and promote sustainable heritage tourism development in Bangladesh.