Research about Tourism Value Chain Impact in Religious Tourist Destinations from Lebanon

Abstract

This paper examines how tourism value-chain performance influences visitor satisfaction and behavioral intentions in religious tourism destinations in Lebanon. Grounded in value chain theory and studies on religious tourism supply chains, the research uses a structured questionnaire developed from the literature and administered to 208 adult respondents in Lebanon, including current and prospective visitors. Perceptions were measured through 23 Likert-type items covering transport infrastructure, accommodation quality, and local business services, while outcomes included overall satisfaction, intention to revisit, recommendation likelihood, and willingness to participate in religious events. The scale showed excellent internal consistency, although the very high alpha value should be interpreted cautiously because it may also indicate item redundancy. Results show strong positive associations between value-chain dimensions and all outcome variables. The regression model explains 87.9% of the variance in overall satisfaction, while chi-square tests indicate significant associations between prior visitation and revisit intention, as well as between perceived infrastructure and recommendation intentions. The findings suggest that strengthening religious tourism in Lebanon requires coordinated improvements in accessibility, culturally appropriate accommodation, and community-based local services. The study offers practical guidance for destination managers and policymakers working in complex and fragile tourism contexts. JEL: Z32, L83, L89; UDC: 338.48(569.3)