Enhancing well-being in cultural tourism: the role of experiences and information sharing

This study explores how the dimensions of experience economy, namely entertainment, aesthetics, education, and escapism, enhance personal well-being in cultural tourism using the Stimulus-Organism-Response model. It examines the moderating role of tourist information sharing on the relationship between experiences and perceived well-being. Findings indicate that aesthetics, entertainment, education, and escapism positively influence perceived well-being, which in turn enhances place attachment, revisit intentions, and destination recommendations. The effect of well-being is particularly strong in generating place attachment, especially among Italian tourists. Tourist information sharing moderates the effects of aesthetics and escapism in opposite ways. While sharing aesthetic experiences leads to higher levels of well-being, sharing escapist experiences, does not provide similar well-being benefits. This research provides novel insights into the social dynamics in cultural tourism, emphasising the importance for destination managers to promote specific experiences to enrich visitors' well-being and loyalty intentions.