The impact of pilgrimage value on experiential satisfaction, self-esteem and psychological well-being:the case of the Shrine of Solmoe Catholic pilgrims

Abstract

Due to the secular and religious components of pilgrimage, pilgrims expect to receive psychological restoration through the activity. Hence, it is critical to understand individuals’ satisfaction and mental health promotion of pilgrimage. This study examined the effect of pilgrimage value on pilgrims’ satisfaction, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. A survey was conducted in the Shrine of Solmoe in Korea for Catholic pilgrims who had experienced pilgrimage, and the final 307 copies of the survey questionnaire were collected. The data analysis employed a two-step approach and assessed the validity of the variables through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling using a statistical program SPSS 23.0 and Amos 23.0. The analysis results supported all hypotheses and verified that pilgrimage value significantly affected pilgrims’ satisfaction, self-esteem, and psychological well-being. In particular, the correlation between the self-esteem and psychological well-being of pilgrims shows the highest effect. Among four components of pilgrimage, experiential satisfaction has the lowest effect on psychological well-being. The findings can provide valuable insight and implications for heritage management and special interest tourism in the religious tourism industry. For the practical implications of developing the Shrine of Solmoe, pilgrims should receive a warm welcome. Moreover, religious tourist destinations in Korea can provide a higher quality of hospitality service to individual visitors. Furthermore, local communities with religious heritage can take societal benefits and develop cultural immersion in community-based tourism.