INVESTIGATING THE FACTORS IMPACTING TOURIST SATISFACTION IN LUMBINI, NEPAL.

Abstract

Lumbini is in the Rupandehi district of Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and features sacred temples and monuments, including the Maya Devi Temple. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this place attracts millions of tourists annually from Nepal and beyond, offering them a rich cultural and historical experience. This study aims to explore the factors that drive tourist satisfaction at Lumbini. The study surveyed 403 tourists who visited the site during the study period to collect data. This study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the data, assessing the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments by examining Cronbach's alpha, Composite Reliability (CR), Average Variance Extracted (AVE), factor loadings, and the Fornell-Larcker Criterion. The analysis of the outer model involved scrutinizing path coefficients, T statistics, and P values, as well as conducting significance tests to explore the relationships between the constructs and to ascertain the extent to which the proposed model elucidated variance in tourist satisfaction at religious sites in Lumbini. The findings reveal that factors such as accessibility, service quality, natural environment, religious events, spiritual significance and safety/security affect the satisfaction among tourists with the destination. The study's implications underscore the guidance to authorities of Lumbini and policymakers in prioritizing preservation efforts, developing infrastructure, enhancing visitor experiences, and promoting sustainable management practices at Lumbini and similar religious sites to ensure tourist satisfaction and long-term tourism sustainability.