The role of attributes of cycling tourism and enduring involvement in developing tourists’ place attachment

Purpose This study aims to investigate the advancement of place attachment within the bicycle tourism context. Specifically, this study seeks to ascertain whether the four attributes of bicycle tourism (tourism attractions, accessibility, amenities and complementary services) and enduring involvement can serve as predictors of tourists’ place attachment. Also, the research endeavors to examine the positive effects generated by the four attributes of bicycle tourism on enduring involvement. Additionally, the mediating role that enduring involvement plays in attribute–place attachment relationships will be clarified. Design/methodology/approach The final 547 samples are collected from five WeChat cycling groups in Shanghai, and the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach is used to analyze the data. Findings The results show that each of the four attributes has a positive impact on place attachment. Moreover, tourism attractions, accessibility and amenities can be the drivers of enduring involvement. Enduring involvement mediates the tourism attractions–place attachment relationship, the accessibility–place attachment relationship, as well as the amenities–place attachment relationship. Research limitations/implications This paper, to the best of the author’s knowledge, pioneeringly introduces the concept of enduring involvement and place attachment into bicycle tourism research, and the findings contribute to providing practical implications for destination managers and government policymakers. Originality/value This is innovative work with a comprehensive and creative research framework for place attachment.