From tradition to transaction: The effect of commercialization on tourism experience in cultural heritage attractions

Abstract

As cultural heritage attractions continue to draw significant interest from tourists, commercialization of such tourist experiences is increasingly becoming a critical phenomenon shaping the tourism industry. However, little research has explored the impact of commercialization from the tourists' perspective. This research investigates how commercialization influences the cultural heritage tourism experience. Across four studies, including one secondary data analysis and three experiments, we find that high (vs. low) commercialization in cultural heritage attractions leads to lower tourist satisfaction and loyalty, which is explained by a lower perceived object-based authenticity and existential authenticity. This negative effect of commercialization can be attenuated when the attraction provides higher convenience.