Optimizing visitor engagement: the role of pre-purchase touchpoints in cultural heritage tourism

This study explores ways to enhance visitor experiences in heritage tourism, with a focus on handicrafts. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, it identifies key factors influencing pre-purchase visitor experiences. The research begins with a meta-synthesis of 48 studies, followed by an experimental phase involving 480 visitors in Shiraz, who evaluated 16 scenarios. The findings highlight the critical role of social recommendations and brand familiarity in shaping pre-purchase experiences. Key factors such as recommendations, brand recall, perceived product value, promotional media, information access, and personalized benefits are identified as essential for prioritizing organizational strategies. Social referrals and prior brand familiarity notably influence future visitor experiences with handicrafts. The study recommends strategies like referral sales, discounts, viral marketing, and addressing past negative experiences to expand social referrals and strengthen brand recall. Prioritizing these strategies can significantly enhance visitor experiences in heritage tourism, particularly in the context of handicrafts.