Religious tourism and life satisfaction: the role of motivation, perceived value and social cohesion

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationships between religious tourism motivation (RTM), tourist perceived value (TPV), social cohesion (SC), life satisfaction (LS), and fear induced by COVID-19 (FC). The focus was on understanding how these factors interacted during the Dongshan Welcomes the Buddha parade, particularly in the context of the ongoing pandemic. Dongshan is a small town in Tainan, Taiwan.

Methods: Data collection with a snowball sample occurred from 23-12-2023, to 10-1-2024, yielding 304 responses. The survey assessed participant experiences and adaptations during the modified event. The relationships among RTM, TPV, SC, LS, and FC were analyzed using quantitative methods, with particular attention to the direct and indirect effects of RTM on TPV and SC, and their subsequent impact on LS.

Results: RTM significantly enhances TPV and SC directly and indirectly through TPV, positively influencing both SC and LS, with SC also positively contributing to LS. Interestingly, while fear negatively impacts LS, it does not significantly moderate the relationships between TPV and LS, nor SC and LS. This suggests that the direct and indirect effects of RTM and TPV are robust, even in the presence of pandemic-induced fear.

Implications: This study makes several theoretical and practical contributions religious tourism. It confirms the significant role of RTM in enhancing perceived value and social cohesion, and it establishes the importance of perceived value in fostering social cohesion and life satisfaction. Moreover, it highlights the resilience of these relationships despite external disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings offer valuable insights for managers and organizers of religious tourism events, emphasizing the need to enhance participant motivation and perceived value to boost social cohesion and life satisfaction, even amidst external challenges.