Is looking always more important than listening in tourist experience?

Abstract

This study aims to compare the function of soundscape and visualscape in the tourist holistic experience through the lens of the cognition–emotion model. A questionnaire was distributed to collect data from 563 domestic tourists visiting Jiuzhai Valley National Park, China. Partial least squares regression–structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) and a number of recently developed advanced analysis methods were used. Results indicate that soundscape and visualscape have different impacts on tourist cognition and emotion. Soundscape directly influences tourist overall satisfaction and visualscape observed. Tourist overall satisfaction is based on a listening–looking congruence. The findings suggest that managers should make good use of soundscape and consider its congruence with visualscape when designing tourist experience.