From Crowding to Diminished Tourism Experience: The Moderating Role of Psychological Resilience

ABSTRACT Focusing on the high‐density tourism contexts, this study examines how perceived crowding and scenic attractiveness influence tourism experience value through the mediating roles of mental fatigue and perceived control. Tourists, especially those traveling during peak periods, may encounter challenges in crowded environments. We examine how psychological resilience moderates tourists' responses to perceived crowding and propose an integrated model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) is adopted to assess reliability, validity, mediation, moderation, and predictive relevance. The results show that perceived crowding directly increases mental fatigue and then negatively affects tourism experience value. Psychological resilience in tourists buffers the negative impact of crowding on mental fatigue and helps maintain perceived control. The attraction of scenic spots reduces mental fatigue through perceived control and improves tourism experience. In practice, strengthening psychological resilience and guiding tourists' expectations help them maintain a sense of control in crowded environments and preserve tourism experience value.