The Effect of Healing Perception on the Visitors’ Place Attachment and Their Loyalty toward a Metropolitan Park—Under the Aspect of Environmental Design

Abstract

Healing perception is considered to increase visitors’ place attachment and loyalty. This research employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the structural relationship between healing perception, place attachment, environmental design, and visitors’ loyalty to a place. The study investigated a metropolitan park in Gaoxiong, Taiwan, and collected 431 valid questionnaires on the site. The results showed that the environmental design affected the human perception of healing and place attachment, which substantially affected the visitors’ loyalty toward the place. The healing perception powerfully impacted loyalty (0.76), which contained an indirect effect through place attachment and enhanced the direct impact of healing perception. Moreover, the environmental design had a capable direct effect (0.62) on visitors’ loyalty through two full mediation paths: healing perception and place attachment. The study sheds light on designing a healing park that could enhance visitors’ place attachment and strongly affect their loyalty to the park.

How Has Online Digital Technology Influenced the On-Site Visitation Behavior of Tourists during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Case Study of Online Digital Art Exhibitions in China

“…Zhang [67] demonstrated the significant impact of decorative art in creating emotionally therapeutic landscapes in public spaces and satisfying individuals' spiritual pursuits. Additionally, Zhang et al [68] argued that perceived therapeutic effects have a positive influence on the loyalty and behavioral intentions of visitors in urban parks. Kreitler and Kreitler [69] assessed the impact of the art therapy process on individuals' behavioral intentions.…”