Smart tourism destination experiences: The mediating impact of arousal levels

This research explored the relationship between environmental stimuli and tourist experiences by considering the mediating impact of arousal level. Designed around the arousal theory of environmental psychology, this framework suggests that novel environmental stimuli create optimal arousal levels and lead to optimal performance. An on-site survey was distributed to tourists at Hu Li Shan Fortress in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, which is a smart tourism destination recognized by the Chinese government. Completed self-administered questionnaires were obtained from 372 respondents who had used the smart facilities. The findings through the SEM (structural equation modeling) method revealed that physical and psychological stimuli had positive effects on arousal levels and tourist experiences and arousal level was a moderator between environmental stimuli and tourist experiences. Thus, destinations should offer optimal environmental stimuli to tourists by increasing smart facilities and services and continuously updating them.