Abstract:
Experiential marketing has emerged as a powerful tool in modern tourism, focusing
on creating memorable and emotionally engaging tourist experiences that influence
tourist behaviours. Despite Ella’s rapid growth as an eco-cultural destination in Sri
Lanka, limited research has examined how experiential marketing affects tourists’
revisit intentions in this context. This study investigates this research gap by applying
Schmitt’s (1999) Strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs) Sense, Feel, Think, Act, and
Relate as the theoretical framework. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design
was adopted. The target population included tourists who had visited Ella. A non probability convenience sampling method was used to collect 150 responses via a
structured online questionnaire, comprising items measured on a five-point Likert
scale. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25, including descriptive statistics,
Pearson’s correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The sample was split by
gender, with a majority of participants being young and well-educated. All five
experiential marketing dimensions showed strong positive correlations with revisit
intention (r = 0.719–0.820, p < 0.01). Regression results revealed that Sense (β =
0.370, p < 0.001) and Think (β = 0.193, p = 0.027) had significant positive effects on
revisit intention, while Feel, Act, and Relate were not statistically significant
predictors. The model explained 73.9% of the variance in revisit intention (R² =
0.739). The findings suggest that enhancing sensory and cognitive experiences can
significantly boost tourist loyalty to Ella. Destination marketers are encouraged to
invest in immersive, intellectually stimulating experiences to support sustainable
tourism growth.
