ASEAN Journal on Hospitality and Tourism

The Impact of Travel Motivations on Destination Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Tourist Satisfaction among Russian Tourists in Post-Pandemic Sri Lanka

Editor's Choice

Research Article

The Impact of Travel Motivations on Destination Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Tourist Satisfaction among Russian Tourists in Post-Pandemic Sri Lanka

Prageeth Niroshan Nisha Jayasuriya Heshan Sameera Kankanam Pathiranage

The recovery of global tourism after COVID-19 has renewed interest in understanding international tourists' motivations and behavioral intentions. This study investigates how push and pull travel motivations influence tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty among Russian tourists visiting Sri Lanka in the post-pandemic period. Data were collected from 384 Russian tourists and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that both push motivations (β = 0.165, p < 0.01) and pull motivations (β = 0.662, p < 0.001) significantly enhance tourist satisfaction. However, destination loyalty is primarily driven by push motivations, while pull motivations influence loyalty indirectly through satisfaction. The mediation analysis confirms that tourist satisfaction plays a critical mediating role in translating travel motivations into loyalty intentions. This study contributes to tourism literature by extending push–pull motivation theory in a post-pandemic context and provides practical insights for Sri Lankan tourism policymakers and destination marketers seeking to strengthen tourist retention and repeat visitation.

Destinations loyalty
PLS-SEM
Post-pandemic tourism
Russian tourists
Satisfaction
Travel motivations

DOI: 10.5614/ajht.2026.24.1.02
Pages: 112-129

Experiential Marketing and Tourist Satisfaction on Tourist Buses: A Comparison between Jakarta, Indonesia and Hainan, China

Ayydnamira Namira Yustisia Pasfatima Mbulu Benofit Aldianto Nugroho

Tourist buses are defined as a mode of land transportation designed explicitly for the needs of tourists by providing facilities that provide comfort, safety, and entertainment. The purpose of this research is to compare the effects of experiential marketing on visitor satisfaction with regard to bus transportation in Indonesia and Hainan. China. This study use a quantitative methodology and Smart PLS 3.2.9 for SEM analysis. Questionnaires with a sample size of 300 respondents were sent as part of the data collection method used in this study. Study conduted in Indonesia and Hainan showed that not all elements of experiential marketing significantly influence the satisfaction of Indonesian tourists on tourist buses in Jakarta, Indonesia. The analysis shows that the thinking and related aspects influence tourist satisfaction on tourist buses in Jakarta and Hainan, China. This finding indicates that creating creative consumer thinking and social relationships between consumers and guides are important factors in increasing tourist satisfaction. The other three variables: sense, feeling, and act do not have a positive effect on tourist satisfaction in either Indonesia or Hainan, China.

10.5614/ajht.2026.24.1.03

Highly Cited

Tourism as Soft Power: Political Crises and Nation Branding in the Philippines (2008–2025)

Noel Y. Sinco

This study examines the relationship between political crises and international tourist arrivals to the Philippines (2008–2025) using multi-country Interrupted Time Series Analysis (ITSA). Major events—including the 2010 Manila Hostage Crisis, 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff, 2013 Taiwanese Fisherman Incident, and 2017 Marawi siege—are analyzed across key source markets. Descriptive patterns indicate short-term bilateral fluctuations aligned with crisis events, particularly in markets directly involved in diplomatic disputes. However, ITSA's estimates do not detect statistically significant structural breaks in aggregate arrivals, suggesting the absence of sustained level or trend shifts. Western markets such as the United States, Canada, and Australia exhibit no statistically detectable post-crisis changes following the Marawi siege. Recovery periods, defined as the return to pre-crisis annual levels, generally reflect short-term adjustment rather than prolonged contraction. Overall, findings indicate temporary volatility alongside aggregate tourism resilience.

10.5614/ajht.2026.24.1.05

Invited Paper

Bridging the Green Gap: Fintech Adoption and Eco-Conscious Luxury Booking Behavior among Generation Z and Millennials — A Systematic Literature Review

Ameresekere Tharindu Sujeewa Damayanthi Doluwarawaththa Gamage Jayawardene Ananda Ranasinghe Asanga

This systematic literature review examines how fintech-enabled sustainability features influence eco-consciousness on luxury hotel booking intentions among young travelers (Gen Z and Millennials). This review revealed three main themes discussed in the literature: Eco-consciousness of young travelers, which emphasizes how ecological values, awareness shape sustainable travel intentions; Luxury hotel booking intentions, which highlights the influence of perceived value, service quality, Corporate Social Responsibility, and sustainability on booking behavior of young travelers; and Fintech-enabled sustainability features, which shows how digital tools, eco-booking apps, green loyalty programs etc. could improve the relationship between eco-conscious attitudes and actual booking decisions. This review suggests that eco-consciousness shapes young travelers’ sustainable decision-making, and that fintech could strengthen this relationship by making sustainability more rewarding, visible, and accessible. However, as per this literature review, there are still significant gaps: the lack of empirical research investigating how fintech elements affect the degree or trajectory of eco-conscious behavior in luxury hotel booking contexts; a considerable lack of qualitative studies, interdisciplinary perspectives, and cross-cultural grounding.

10.5614/ajht.2026.24.1.07