The role of destination image in mediating the effects of memorable tourist experience and service quality on revisit intention: A study of Wae Rebo cultural village

Despite the rapid growth of the tourism industry, cultural heritage destinations like Wae Rebo Village in Manggarai, NTT, face critical challenges in maintaining tourist loyalty due to infrastructure limitations and inconsistent service standards. This study aims to investigate the direct and indirect effects of memorable tourist experiences (MTE) and service quality on revisit intention, with destination image serving as the mediating variable. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework, this research employed a quantitative causal-associative approach. Data were collected through a survey using non-probability sampling (accidental and snowball techniques) from tourists who had visited Wae Rebo, and subsequently analyzed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that a memorable tourist experience has a positive and significant effect on both destination image and revisit intention. While service quality significantly enhances destination image, it does not have a direct significant impact on revisit intention. Furthermore, destination image was found to partially mediate the relationship between memorable tourist experience and revisit intention, but it failed to mediate the effect of service quality on revisit intention. These findings suggest that for culture-based destinations, emotional and memorable experiences are more pivotal in driving long-term loyalty than basic service delivery. This research presents significant theoretical insights for tourism marketing, while also offering actionable recommendations for destination managers to emphasize cultural authenticity and enhance service infrastructure. Such strategies are crucial for fortifying the destination image and promoting sustainable intentions for revisits.