The Strength of Tourist Involvement in Mediating the Relationship Between Experience Value, Destination Image and Tourist Loyalty: An Empirical Study in Indonesia

The purpose of this study is to examine tourist loyalty, which is developed through the value of experience and the image of the destination mediated by the strength of tourist engagement. The research is using a survey with the interview method and distribution of structured questionnaires, related agency documents, research reports, publications, and other literature relevant to research such as data on the number of tourism destinations in South Sumatra. This study examines all tourists who visiting natural tourism destinations in Palembang City, Lahat and Pagar Alam. This study was conducted in one district and two cities in South Sumatra because in these three areas feature natural tourism destinations visited by domestic tourists. The data analysis was carried out by structural equation modeling (SEM) with the help of the AMOS program. This study explains that the value of tourist experience and destination image has a positive and significant effect on the strength of tourist engagement. The value of experience and tourist engagement has a positive and significant effect on tourist loyalty. Destination image does not affect the tourist loyalty. The strength of tourist engagement is mediating the relationship between experience value and destination image, and tourist loyalty.