Antecedents of nostalgia-related cultural tourism behavior: evidence from visitors to pharaonic treasures city

PurposeBased on self-determination theory (SDT), this paper seeks to identify autonomous motivations driving nostalgia-related cultural tourism among visitors to satisfy their craving to revisit Luxor and re-root their identities. This paper looked at the nexus of destination image and past experience, as well as nostalgic visitors' revisit intention and actual behavior toward Luxor.Design/methodology/approachPartial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to quantitatively analyze 354 responses from Luxor's visitors, and 17 interview transcripts were narrated using MAXQDA software.FindingsAutonomous motivations influenced revisit intentions significantly, and revisit intentions acted as a strong mediator between actual visit behavior and autonomous motivations.Practical implicationsDestination marketers need to create nostalgic emotional bonds with people and destinations by planning cultural events that leave visitors with unforgettable memories of these particular moments. They also need to focus more on promotional strategies, develop messages with words that have emotional meaning and highlight crucial characteristics that tourists can quickly identify when visiting a destination.Originality/valueCultural tourism has emerged as a dominant niche sector worldwide; nevertheless, nostalgia-related cultural tourism has received less attention. As a result, the primary purpose of this paper is to provide a methodological framework for nostalgia tourism promotion in Luxor, Egypt. Luxor was chosen and has been an excellent subject for this paper, which can further evoke a sense of nostalgia. Hence, this paper prioritizes cultural site preservation and promotion.