Tourist Behavior Intentions and the Moderator Effect of Knowledge of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship of heritage building and employee displayed emotion with tourist emotions, satisfaction and behavioral intentions, and the moderator effect of knowledge of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites (WHS). A theoretical model was constructed which was tested with a total of 883 surveys. The questionnaires focus on the Basilica of the Holy Family—La Sagrada Família—in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain). The study of the data used structural equation models by means of a multigroup analysis. The results suggest that heritage building and employee displayed emotions influence tourist emotions, tourist emotions influence satisfaction, and satisfaction influences behavioral intentions. Furthermore, a direct effect of heritage building on behavioral intentions has been identified. In addition, it has been proved that knowledge of UNESCO WHS moderates the linkages between constructs in most of the relationships in the sample analyzed.