The Mediating Role of Social Media Exposure in the Relationship between Dark Experience, Unique Learning Experience, and Attitude toward the Dark Tourism Destinations: Evidence from Museum Pancasila Sakti

Abstract

This study aims to identify the mediating effect of Social Media Exposure on the relationship between Dark Experience and Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination as well as between Unique Learning Experience and Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination at Museum Pancasila Sakti Jakarta. Quantitative explanatory research was used in this study. The respondents were the museum visitors that were approached with purposive sampling using questionnaires. Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling or known as (PLS-SEM) was used to collect data. The result showed that Dark Experience does not significantly affect Visitors’ Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination. However, Dark Experience partially mediates through Social Media Exposure toward Visitors’ Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination since Dark Experience has a positive effect on Social Media Exposure. Also, Unique Learning Experience positively affects Social Media Exposure and Visitors’ Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination. While Social Media Exposure partially mediates between Unique Learning Experience toward Visitors’ Attitude toward Dark Tourism Destination. In conclusion, this study has proven that Social Media Exposure has a significant role in visitors’ experience about dark tourism. This study provides an empirical perspective about dark tourism using experience, learning, and digital perspective to form visitors’ attitude.

Keywords : dark tourism, dark experience, unique learning experience, social media exposure, attitude