Gen X tourist's intention to visit non-endorsed world heritage sites in Malaysia - a modification of uncertainty reduction theory

• Main Authors: Chai, Yah Chee, Chee, Wai Loon, Cheong, Jia Ying, Fong, Man Syuen, Yap, Mun Ching
• Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: HF Commerce
• Online Access: http://eprints.utar.edu.my/3965/1/fyp_MK_2020_CYC_%2D_1603186.pdf; http://eprints.utar.edu.my/3965/

Visitation to cultural heritage tourism destinations can help local community to gain additional income and jobs, encourage people from different culture to live more harmoniously, and reduce the outflow of local currency. Tourist visitation at the destinations in Malaysia however was concentrated on the four world heritage sites, as designated by UNESCO. To materialize the benefits, it is important to understand the uncertainty factors that have been influencing domestic Gen-X tourist’s visitation intention to destinations that is not endorsed as world heritage site. Gen-X tourists is targeted because they have the urge to experience something that can evoke nostalgia feeling, higher disposable income compare to boomers, and have more leisure time for vacationing compare to younger generations. Past study results have showed that tourist’s intention to visit a tourism destination was related to uncertainty factors that are grouped in few perspectives - tourist’s resources, possibly of unfulfilling requirements, risk and etc. The uncertainty reduction theory’s literature is enriched by consolidating the examination of the uncertainty variables that are grouped in the two perspectives - tourist’s resources (awareness of culture heritage, and social influence) and requirement (perceived value, perceived infrastructure support, perceived attractiveness) which is rarely been undertaken by past researchers. The result shows that one uncertainty variable: perceived infrastructure support is not significantly related to tourist’s intentional behavior. From the result, recommendations that are related to the measuring items of the respective variable are suggested to policy planning.