Service quality, past experience, trust, and satisfaction as drivers of tourist loyalty: Evidence from Sikkim’s Buddhist monasteries

Abstract

Tourist inflows in Sikkim have increased significantly in recent years, with Buddhist monasteries serving as major religious attractions drawing visitors from across the globe. This study is conducted to understand the interrelationships between service quality, satisfaction, trust, past experience, and loyalty in the context of Buddhist monasteries as a religious tourism destination. A sample of 395 is drawn using stratified random sampling techniques, and primary information is collected by employing a semi-structured questionnaire. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) are used to validate the results. It is observed that loyalty underscores the highest mean, followed by trust and past experience, whereas service quality and satisfaction require improvement. Further, it is observed that tourists' past experiences have a significant impact on enhancing their loyalty and satisfaction, affecting both loyalty and trust. Service quality indicates a strong influence on satisfaction, but the effect on loyalty is comparatively weak. Trust emerges as a crucial factor in ensuring tourist loyalty and retention. It is confirmed that service quality, trust, and experiences need improvement for building long-term loyalty and a competitive advantage. Furthermore, tourist satisfaction is a key mediating factor, trust is a critical driver of tourist retention, and past experiences are a significant enhancer of loyalty. This study offers practical recommendations to tourism planners and managers in designing strategies that reinforce visitor experiences, trust, and ensure the sustainable growth of the tourism industry in Sikkim.