KnE Social Sciences

Published date: Dec 03 2025

Journal Title: KnE Social Sciences

Issue title: The 5th International Conference on Tourism, Gastronomy, and Tourist Destination (TGDIC 2025)

Pages: 160 - 168

DOI: 10.18502/kss.v10i29.20261

Emily Anak RogosErogos@swinburne.edu.mySwinburne University of Technology, Sarawak

Ngui Kwang SingSwinburne University of Technology, Sarawak

This study explores how experiential branding influences destination brand loyalty (DBL) among rural tourists, focusing on destination brand experience (DBE) as a key driver. Despite the rise of rural tourism, little research has examined how experiences shape long-term tourist loyalty. Guided by the stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) framework, DBE is conceptualized through key experiential dimensions, including sensory, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, spiritual, and social interactions. Using a sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach, qualitative interviews first identified relevant experience elements, followed by a quantitative survey to test relationships among DBE, brand value, satisfaction, attachment, and loyalty. Results show that DBE significantly enhances perceived brand value and satisfaction, which foster emotional attachment and loyalty. The findings contribute to theory by extending experiential branding to rural tourism and offer practical guidance for creating meaningful, loyalty-driven visitor experiences. This positions DBE as a strategic tool for rural destinations seeking competitive and sustainable growth.

Keywords: destination brand experience (DBE), destination brand loyalty (DBL), experiential branding, rural tourism, tourist loyalty

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