Constructing a measurement scale for tourism vitality based on tourists’ perceptions and its application in tourists’ behavioural intentions

This research aims to investigate the concept of tourism vitality in ancient towns based on tourists’ perceptions. Two related studies were conducted following the steps of scale development. Questionnaires were developed from a literature review and distributed throughout three Chinese ancient towns. The findings revealed two distinct dimensions and 10 items, including socio-economic synergy and culture regeneration. Furthermore, these dimensions were positively associated with tourists’ behavioural intentions, including satisfaction, recommendations, and intentions to revisit. Theoretically, the research redefines tourism vitality as a dual-dimensional framework rather than a bipolar spectrum of attributes, distinct from urban vitality, and highlights the integration of various stakeholders and tourist-culture interactions that contribute to the dynamism of ancient towns. Practically, the findings offer implications, particularly on identifying the most effective strategies to foster cooperation among relevant stakeholders and sustainably revitalise ancient towns.