Cultural tourism in Istanbul: The mediation effect of tourist experience and satisfaction on the relationship between involvement and recommendation intention

This study aims to empirically test a model linking involvement, experience quality, satisfaction, and recommendation intention. The study also analyzes the mediating effect of experience quality and satisfaction on the relationship between involvement and recommendation intention in a cultural tourism destination context. Data were collected from tourists using a survey from a historical area of Istanbul, the Sultanahmet district. The results reveal that experience quality and satisfaction mediate the relationship between involvement and recommendation intention in the cultural tourism context. This study discusses the theoretical and management implications of these findings. The suggested strategies would diversify and boost the Istanbul tourism industry by targeting different tourist groups. (c) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.