Exploring the Drivers of Tourist Satisfaction...

Exploring the Drivers of Tourist Satisfaction at Religious Sites: A Study of Lumbini in Nepal

Author Name : Bhim Bahadur Khadka, Prof. Anjani Kumar Malviya

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56025/IJARESM.2023.1182374

ABSTRACT Lumbini is in the Rupandehi district of Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and features sacred temples and monuments, including the Maya Devi Temple. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it attracts numerous global Buddhist pilgrims and tourists annually, offering a rich cultural and historical experience. This study aims to explore the factors that drive tourist satisfaction at Lumbini and how they relate to the commercialization of culture and religion in the context of religious tourism. The study surveys 403 tourists who visit the site during the study period to collect data. This study utilizes PLS-SEM to analyze data, evaluating the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments by examining Cronbach's alpha, CR, AVE, factor loadings and FornellLarcker Criterion. The analysis of the outer model includes examining path coefficients, T statistics, and P values, as well as conducting tests of significance to explore the relationships between the constructs and the extent to which the proposed model explains variance in tourist satisfaction at religious sites in Lumbini. The findings reveal that the factors such as accessibility and infrastructure, available services, the natural environment, religious sites and monuments, spiritual and religious activities, and safety and security affect the satisfaction among tourists with the destination.