The antecedents and consequences of awe in dark tourism

Abstract

Research on the emotional experience offered by dark tourism has usually categorized tourists’ emotional experience into general dimensions, and few studies have investigated a specific emotion. Focusing on the emotional experience of awe in dark tourism, this research aims to examine the relationship between authenticity, awe, national identity, and revisit intention by surveying visitors to the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre in China. Through an analysis of 499 questionnaires via PLS-SEM, the study finds that dark tourist destinations can arouse awe in tourists and that the experience of authenticity is one of the antecedents of this emotion. It also demonstrates that awe has a positive effect on national identity, but its influence on revisit intention is not significant. Moreover, it indicates that the deeper the authentic experience of tourists, the stronger the national identity and revisit intention in the context of dark tourism. Finally, this study recommends that dark sites should utilize a variety of means, such as virtual reality technology, to enhance the perception of authenticity with a view to inspiring awe, so as to have a lasting and profound impact on tourists’ attitudes and behaviours.