The Tourist’s Perspective on Cocreating Experiences at a Religious Heritage Site

We explore how nonreligious tourists cocreate meaningful experiences at religious heritage sites, focusing on the Royal Mosque of Isfahan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iran. Adopting a tourist-centered and constructivist approach, this research investigates how individuals who do not engage in institutional religious practice nevertheless experience cognitive, emotional, and spiritual engagement within sacred spaces. Using a qualitative design and grounded theory methodology, data were collected through semistructured interviews and direct observations. The analysis identified seven experiential dimensions that shape visitors’ cocreated experiences: (1) pull–push motivations, (2) prior knowledge and planning, (3) interaction with physical settings, (4) presence of people, (5) self-directed cocreation, (6) personal activity and participation, and (7) peace and place attachment. The findings suggest that visitors actively personalize experiences through introspection, solitude, and aesthetic–spiritual immersion, rather than religious devotion or ritual practice. The study offers practical recommendations for tourism managers and heritage site planners, advocating for visitor-centered design that supports autonomy, emotional resonance, and reflective engagement. By examining the experiential agency of nonreligious tourists this research contributes to a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of contemporary religious tourism.