EXPLORING THE DETERMINANTS OF ADVENTURE TOURISM DEMAND IN SMART TOURISM DESTINATIONS: A FACTOR ANALYSIS APPROACH

This research evaluates adventure tourism demand determinants in smart tourism destinations relating to smart technology use, perceived safety, cultural engagement, and innovativeness of destinations. Structural equation modeling on data from 300 adventure tourists indicates that Perceived Safety Via Smart Technologies, the Attractiveness and Innovativeness of the Destination, Engagement of Local Culture and Nature, and Digital Cultural Interpretation greatly enhance tourists' beliefs of Smart Tourism Service Integration, which in turn very strongly predicts Adventure Tourism Demand. Tourist Experience Satisfaction and Perceived Value for Money were not significant predictors of their beliefs of smart service. The findings underscore the importance of functional assurances, cultural immersion, and impactful technological innovative solutions over traditional tourist perceptions of satisfaction and value, on tourist behaviour in smart tourism contexts. Overall, the study plays an essential role in advancing smart tourism theory, while also providing useful recommendations for destination managers and marketers looking to use technology-based solutions to engage in adventure tourism.