The influence of individual authenticity experience on tourists’ behavioral intentions: the chain mediating role of place dependence and place identity

ABSTRACT This paper introduces the concept of individual authenticity from psychology into tourism research, aiming to develop and test the intricate mechanisms of individual authenticity, place attachment, and the behavioral intentions of tourists. Several relevant hypotheses are formulated and empirically tested using a structural equation model (SEM), with data from China. Results demonstrate that individual authenticity experience is an important antecedent of tourists’ behavioral intentions, where place dependence and place identity play a partial chain mediating role. The research provides fresh insights into the role of subject-related authenticity in tourism, which also provides anchor points for enhancing destination marketing.