Linking the internal mechanism of flow experience to exhibition intention: a comparison among diverse cultural tourists

ABSTRACT This study examined the cultural tourists’ flow experience effects on behavioral intentions and investigated differences among five cultural tourists’ groups. Using structured questionnaires data, the findings highlight that the flow experience within exhibition activities has both direct and indirect influences on behavioral intentions among cultural tourists. Moreover, a significant divergence was observed in the “flow experience – exhibition attachment – behavioral intentions” pathway for purposeful cultural tourists, who exhibit a high motivation for cultural factors and a deep cultural exploration. The study results extend flow theory in cultural tourism and provide practical insights for optimizing tourist cultural experiences based on different tourist segments.