How Ritual Interaction in Cultural‐Sports Events Enhances Domestic Tourist Loyalty Towards a Destination

ABSTRACT

This study uses a mixed‐methods approach to examine how ritual interaction in cultural‐sports events influences destination loyalty through emotional involvement and existential authenticity. Through semi‐structured interviews with 19 tourists at the village super league (VSL) in China, 16 initial items were developed across four cultural ritual interaction dimensions (venue elements, ritual symbols, competition processes, and shared emotions). The first‐round survey was conducted ( n  = 179) for item purification by performing exploratory factor analysis, retaining 13 items. Then, a second‐round survey ( n  = 308) was conducted. The results of PLS‐SEM revealed that all four dimensions significantly affect existential authenticity, but only competition processes and shared emotions significantly affect emotional involvement. Emotional involvement affects existential authenticity, and both emotional involvement and existential authenticity affect event destination loyalty. The study provides actionable insights for integrating cultural ritual interaction elements into cultural‐sports events, enhancing the development of event destinations.