CULTIVATING TOURIST LOYALTY INTENTION EXPLORING THE MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE OF THE SEREN TAUN TRADITIONAL CEREMONY IN SUNDANESE VILLAGE TOURISM

The purpose of this research is to evaluate how participating in the annual Seren Taun ceremony within the Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark tourist site, with a specific emphasis on three native communities, affects the loyalty of tourists based on their practical memorable tourism experiences (MTE). The research will examine the impact of MTE on tourist loyalty by considering factors such as destination image, visitor engagement, and cultural contact. The study used a quantitative approach with questionnaire instruments distributed to visitors who have visited one of the three indigenous villages in CPUGGp during the annual Seren Taun ritual. The sample size was 200 respondents, and the statistical application used was SmartPLS 2.0, employing the Partial Least Square method for verification. The research discovered that MTE enhanced destination image and cultural contact but did not increase visitor engagement. Visitor participation enhanced cultural interactions, and MTE had a substantial effect on loyalty intent. The research confirms that MTE is crucial in developing and surviving cultural tourism areas. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen the destination image and cultural contact with local culture while facilitating visitor engagement during the Seren Taun ritual to create MTE in the cultural tourism village.