EXPLORING THE POWER OF DESTINATION BRAND EXPERIENCE: HOW TOURIST SATISFACTION DRIVES REVISIT INTENTIONS AT BUKIT LAWANG ECOTOURISM

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of destination brand experience on revisit intention through tourist satisfaction as an intervening variable. Using a quantitative associative approach, the study targeted tourists who had previously visited a specific destination. A sample of 180 respondents was selected through purposive sampling. Primary data was collected via a questionnaire, while secondary data was obtained through documentary research. Data analysis was performed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the SmartPLS version 3.0 software. The findings reveal that destination brand experience positively and significantly influences tourist satisfaction, but has no significant effect on revisit intention. In contrast, tourist satisfaction was found to have a positive and significant effect on revisit intention. Furthermore, the study highlights that tourist satisfaction mediates the relationship between destination brand experience and revisit intention. These results offer practical implications for destination managers to focus on enhancing service quality and providing unique experiences that foster greater tourist satisfaction, which, in turn, increases the intention of repeat visits.