From experience to advocacy: integrating affective and identity pathways in smart ecotourism

This study develops and tests the Eco-experience Reinforcement Model for visitor advocacy in mangrove ecotourism. It links environmental quality, smart technology, community participation, and eco-educational experience to satisfaction and environmental identity reinforcement as dual mediators, with advocacy behaviours as the outcome. Data from 408 visitors to mangrove sites in Bali, Indonesia, were analysed using PLS-SEM. Results show that all four antecedents significantly enhance satisfaction, while environmental quality, community participation, and eco-education also strengthen environmental identity. By demonstrating that satisfaction and environmental identity work as two complementary psychological processes, this study introduces a dual mediator approach that strengthens theoretical understanding of how ecotourism experiences shape pro-environmental action. Both satisfaction and identity positively drive advocacy, confirming their roles as interconnected psychological mechanisms that transform quality experiences into pro-environmental commitment. The non-significant moderating effect of revisit status indicates that even a single, well-designed encounter can inspire lasting advocacy, emphasizing a quality-over-quantity principle in sustainable tourism. The findings extend the Stimulus–Organism–Response and Experience Economy frameworks and guide managers in designing emotionally resonant and digitally enriched ecotourism experiences.