An Investigation of Cultural Tourists' Perceived values and Purchasing Behavior towards Handicraft Souvenirs: A Case Study in Isfahan, Iran

Extended Abstract

Introduction

Souvenirs purchasing is known as a significant aspect of tourists’ experiences and behaviors. Cultural tourism is a rapidly growing segment of the tourism industry. Souvenir purchasing, particularly handcrafted items, is a significant aspect of the cultural tourist experience. Therefore, it is important to identify factors influencing cultural tourists' souvenir purchasing intention. Also, perceived value plays a key role in shaping tourists' behavior. It significantly affects tourists' perceptions and responses to travel experiences, including souvenir purchases. Cultural tourists evaluate souvenirs based on their perceived value, which ultimately influences their purchasing decisions. This study aims to identify the perceived value of handicraft souvenirs by cultural tourists, examine the factors influencing the purchase intentions of cultural tourists by applying the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and investigate the relationship between perceived value and the TPB constructs in shaping cultural tourists' souvenir purchasing intentions in a cultural destination. Isfahan city, Iran, was selected as the study area due to its rich cultural heritage, numerous historical and cultural attractions, and renowned reputation for handicraft production. Moreover, it is a designated UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts.



Methodology

The present study is applied in terms of its objective and descriptive-analytical in terms of its nature. It was conducted using a quantitative survey methodology. The geographical setting of the research is Isfahan city, and the sample consisted of 360 cultural tourists who visited Isfahan city. Data was collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire. Data collected from respondents in Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Isfahan, using a simple random sampling method. Initially, based on a review of the research literature, the variables for the five constructs of perceived value of handicraft souvenirs, authenticity of handicraft souvenirs, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and purchase intention were identified. The questionnaire was developed accordingly. The questionnaire variables were measured using a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Content validity was employed to assess the questionnaire's validity. For data analysis, SPSS and Lisrel 8.8 software were utilized. In the first stage, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) in SPSS was used to identify the factors of the "perceived value of handicraft souvenirs" construct. In the second stage, the conceptual model of the research was evaluated using the Lisrel structural equation modeling technique.



Results and Discussion

The findings based on the factor analysis model indicated that handicraft souvenirs hold three distinct values for cultural tourists: cultural-artistic value, utility-value, and sing-value. Cultural tourists purchase handicrafts due to their cultural, artistic, functional nature, and showing cultural status. To test the hypotheses, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was first conducted to evaluate the constructs and assess the validity and reliability of the measurement model. The factor analysis results confirmed a good fit for the measurement model. Subsequently, the structural model was used to evaluate the model fit and the significance of the relationships between the research variables. The findings indicate that the perceived value of handicraft souvenirs significantly influences the three main constructs affecting souvenir purchasing intentions: authenticity of handicrafts, subjective norm of the sales environment, and perceived behavioral control. This suggests that the perceived value of handicraft souvenirs significantly impacts cultural tourists' attitudes and subjective behaviors when making purchase decisions. Additionally, the variables of authenticity, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were found to have a positive and significant effect on cultural tourists' purchase intentions. The results revealed that perceived value has a positive and significant impact on the authenticity of handicraft souvenirs, and authenticity also influences cultural tourists' purchase intentions. Furthermore, the findings indicate a significant relationship between the perceived value of handicrafts and cultural tourists' purchase intentions through subjective norms of the sales environment. The research findings also suggest that a positive relationship exists between cultural tourists' perceived value of handicraft souvenirs and purchase intentions through perceived behavioral control.



Conclusion

This study investigated the influence of perceived value of handicraft souvenirs on three constructs: authenticity of handicrafts, subjective norms of the sales environment, and perceived behavioral control, in relation to cultural tourists' purchase intentions in Isfahan, Iran. The results demonstrated that the perceived values of handicraft souvenirs significantly impact cultural tourists' purchase intentions. Additionally, perceived value was found to influence cultural tourists' preferred characteristics for purchasing handicrafts. Souvenir planners, producers, and retailers can enhance cultural tourists' purchase intentions by focusing on: preserving the authenticity of handicrafts, providing informative product information, enhancing the sales environment, improving Packaging, producing high-quality handicrafts. By implementing these strategies, souvenir businesses can effectively cater to the preferences of cultural tourists, increase their purchase intentions, and ultimately boost their sales and profitability.