Understanding the Effect of Cognitive Image, Emotional Experience and Place Attachment On the Intention to revisit the City of Karbala in Iraq as a Religious Tourism Destination

A B S T R A C T
The aim of this study was to understand the effect of cognitive image, emotional experience and attachment to place on the intention to revisit the city of Karbala in Iraq. The present research method was descriptive-analytic and the survey strategy was used in its implementation. The data of this study were collected over two months from 385 domestic and foreign tourists who had visited the holy places of Karbala in Iraq. Then the data were analyzed in SPSS and Smart PLS software. Content validity was assessed and confirmed based on the opinions of professors and tourism experts, construct validity was assessed using convergent and divergent validity, and data reliability was assessed and confirmed using composite reliability. The findings showed that cognitive image of the destination and attachment to place affect the attitude towards the destination and loyalty to the destination. On the other hand, sensory experience affects loyalty but does not affect the attitude towards the destination. Finally, loyalty affects the intention to revisit, but attitude does not affect the intention to revisit. In religious tourism, visiting a tourist site is considered a form of worship and it is believed that this is the case. Meanwhile, based on the research findings, the effect of cognitive and emotional factors and attachment to the place on loyalty and intention to revisit a religious tourist site is significant. Since the city of Karbala is one of the most important religious tourism destinations in the world, the results of this research can be of great help to policymakers and activists in the tourism industry, especially religious tourism, in the field of appropriate planning and providing better services to religious tourists, especially tourists to the city of Karbala and pilgrims to the holy places of this city.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
In recent decades, the tourism industry has emerged as one of the most dynamic and influential sectors of the global economy, contributing significantly to economic growth, foreign exchange earnings, employment generation, infrastructure development, and regional development. Many countries, particularly developing nations, increasingly rely on tourism as a strategic tool to diversify their economies, reduce unemployment, and enhance socio-economic stability. Within this broad industry, religious tourism represents one of the oldest and most enduring forms of human mobility and continues to attract millions of travelers worldwide. Religious tourism refers to travel motivated primarily by spiritual, faith-based, and religious purposes, including visiting sacred sites, participating in religious rituals, and engaging in pilgrimages associated with religious history and beliefs. Unlike other forms of tourism that are often driven by leisure or entertainment, religious tourism is deeply connected to emotional, spiritual, and symbolic meanings. In recent years, religious tourism has expanded beyond its traditional boundaries and now incorporates cultural, social, economic, and experiential dimensions. According to international estimates, more than 300 million people participate in religious tourism annually, making it a significant and growing segment of the global tourism market. Among religious tourism destinations, the city of Karbala holds a unique and prominent position in the Islamic world. As the site of the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and Hazrat Abbas (AS), Karbala represents a central symbol of faith, sacrifice, and identity for millions of Shiite Muslims. Major religious events such as Ashura and Arbaeen attract unprecedented numbers of pilgrims from Iraq and abroad, transforming Karbala into one of the largest religious gathering sites in the world. Despite the immense volume of visitors, the sustainability of religious tourism and the ability to encourage pilgrims to revisit the destination remain critical challenges. From a tourism marketing perspective, revisit intention is a crucial indicator of destination success. Tourists who intend to revisit a destination are more likely to develop loyalty, provide positive word-of-mouth recommendations, and contribute to long-term economic benefits. Furthermore, retaining existing visitors is significantly more cost-effective than attracting new ones. This issue is particularly important in religious destinations such as Karbala, where repeat visitation constitutes a substantial portion of tourism demand. However, despite Karbala’s global religious significance, empirical research examining the determinants of revisit intention in this destination remains scarce. Therefore, this study aims to address this research gap by investigating the effects of cognitive destination image, emotional experience, and place attachment on tourists’ revisit intention to the city of Karbala. Additionally, the mediating roles of tourists’ attitude toward the destination and loyalty are examined. By integrating both cognitive and emotional perspectives, this study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of religious tourists’ behavioral intentions in one of the most important religious tourism destinations worldwide.
 
Methodology
This study adopts a quantitative research approach and is classified as applied in terms of purpose and descriptive–analytical in terms of methodology. The target population consists of domestic and international religious tourists who visited the city of Karbala during July and August 2023, coinciding with the Ashura and Arbaeen ceremonies of the lunar year 1445 AH. These periods represent the peak season of religious tourism in Karbala, making them particularly suitable for collecting data from a diverse and representative sample of pilgrims. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire designed based on an extensive review of the tourism and religious tourism literature. The questionnaire consisted of 31 items divided into two sections. The first section focused on respondents’ demographic characteristics, including gender, age, nationality, education level, and frequency of visits to Karbala. The second section measured the main constructs of the study: cognitive destination image, emotional experience, place attachment, attitude toward the destination, tourist loyalty, and revisit intention. All items were assessed using a five-point Likert scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree.” A total of 385 valid questionnaires were obtained through on-site distribution and subsequently used for analysis. Descriptive statistics and demographic analyses were conducted using SPSS software. To test the conceptual framework and hypothesized relationships, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach was applied using Smart PLS 3. The reliability and validity of the measurement model were evaluated through Cronbach’s alpha, composite reliability, average variance extracted (AVE), and discriminant validity criteria. All indicators met the recommended thresholds, confirming the adequacy of the measurement model.
 
Results and Discussion
The findings of this study indicate that the cognitive image of the destination and place attachment have a significant effect on tourists’ attitudes toward the destination as well as on their loyalty to the destination. These results suggest that tourists’ cognitive perceptions of destination attributes, facilities, and conditions, together with the emotional and affective bonds formed with the place, play a determining role in shaping positive attitudes and loyal behaviors. A positive cognitive image of the destination may lead tourists to perceive the destination as desirable, reliable, and valuable, thereby fostering a more favorable attitude toward it, which ultimately contributes to destination loyalty. Furthermore, place attachment, as a deep emotional bond between tourists and the destination, is considered an important factor in strengthening both positive attitudes and loyalty. When tourists develop a sense of belonging, dependence, and emotional connection to a tourism destination, the likelihood of forming stable positive attitudes and engaging in loyal behaviors—such as recommending the destination to others or intending to revisit—increases. Therefore, place attachment is not only an emotional factor but also a crucial mechanism in sustaining the long-term relationship between tourists and the destination. In contrast, the findings reveal that tourists’ sensory experiences have a significant effect on destination loyalty, while this variable does not have a significant impact on attitudes toward the destination. This result indicates that positive sensory experiences, such as visual, auditory, olfactory, or spatial experiences, can directly enhance tourists’ loyal behaviors without necessarily leading to a change in their overall evaluative attitudes toward the destination. In other words, tourists may decide to revisit or recommend the destination based on favorable sensory experiences, even if their cognitive or evaluative attitudes toward the destination do not change substantially. In addition, the results show that destination loyalty has a significant effect on tourists’ intention to revisit, whereas attitude toward the destination does not have a significant influence on revisit intention. This finding suggests that in certain types of tourism, particularly religious tourism, the intention to revisit is influenced more by loyalty, internal commitment, and emotional bonds with the destination than by evaluative attitudes. In other words, destination loyalty, as a behavioral and emotional construct, plays a more prominent role than attitude in predicting tourists’ future behaviors. Within the context of religious tourism, visiting a tourism destination is not merely perceived as a leisure activity but rather as a form of worship, pilgrimage, and spiritual practice rooted in tourists’ deep religious beliefs. Under such conditions, the decision to revisit a religious destination is less dependent on rational attitudes or conventional tourism evaluations and is more strongly shaped by religious commitment, spiritual attachment, and the loyalty developed toward the sacred place. Accordingly, the findings of this study demonstrate that cognitive and affective factors, as well as place attachment, exert a considerable influence on loyalty and revisit intention in religious tourism destinations. A positive cognitive image of the destination, meaningful emotional and sensory experiences, and the development of deep emotional bonds between tourists and the religious place can lead to increased loyalty and sustained visitation.
 
Conclusion
The findings of this study demonstrate that increasing revisit intention among religious tourists in Karbala requires a holistic and integrated approach that extends beyond religious symbolism alone. While spiritual motivations remain central to religious tourism, the results indicate that cognitive, emotional, and experiential factors jointly shape tourists’ attitudes and loyalty, which ultimately determine their intention to revisit the destination. This highlights the complex and multidimensional nature of tourist behavior in religious destinations, where both rational evaluations and emotional bonds play critical roles. A positive cognitive destination image, strong place attachment, and meaningful emotional and sensory experiences emerge as essential components of effective religious tourism management. Tourists’ perceptions of infrastructure quality, accessibility, accommodation, and public services form the foundation of their cognitive evaluations and significantly influence their satisfaction and loyalty. From a managerial perspective, policymakers and destination managers in Karbala should prioritize continuous improvements in urban infrastructure, transportation networks, accommodation facilities, and public amenities to strengthen the destination’s cognitive image. In particular, special attention should be given to hygiene, cleanliness, safety, and crowd management, especially in high-density pilgrimage areas, as these factors strongly affect tourists’ comfort, trust, and overall evaluation of the destination. Beyond functional attributes, strategies aimed at strengthening place attachment should be actively pursued. Introducing lesser-known religious, historical, and cultural sites can diversify the pilgrimage experience and deepen tourists’ emotional connection with the city. Employing well-trained and knowledgeable tour leaders and guides, along with integrating traditional interpretive approaches with modern technologies such as QR codes, multimedia applications, mobile platforms, and virtual reality, can significantly enrich tourists’ emotional, spiritual, and educational experiences. Furthermore, providing accessible and engaging digital content through official websites and social media channels can help sustain tourists’ connection with Karbala beyond their physical visit. In conclusion, by addressing both functional and emotional dimensions of the tourist experience, Karbala can strengthen tourist loyalty, increase revisit intention, and enhance its competitive position as one of the world’s leading religious tourism destinations. Such efforts will contribute not only to the long-term economic sustainability of religious tourism but also to the preservation and transmission of the city’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved thecontent of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work declaration of competing interest none.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.