Nighttime as Experiences: The Influence of Perceived Value on Urban Waterfront Night Cruise Loyalty

Abstract

Urban river tourism can benefit considerably from nighttime business; however, few studies have examined tourist loyalty in the context of urban waterfront night cruises (UWNCs). This study aims to investigate how perceived value influences UWNC loyalty by conducting a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis of 372 questionnaires collected from cruise patrons. This study reveals that the loyalty of nighttime tourists is influenced by seven experience variables: nighttime architecture, lighting, nighttime cruising, urban development and image, urban atmosphere, function, and emotion. Five different combinations of the seven variables were found to influence tourist loyalty at various levels. The findings of the present research will improve the general understanding of the urban river tourism experience and contribute to the literature on nighttime tourism, helping destination managers and policymakers with the design, management, and development of nighttime tourism.