Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays

Abstract Benefiting from the tourists’ booming demand of rural tourism, rural homestay industry in Mainland China has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. While limited attention has been paid to rural homestay industry, especially on the mechanism of enhancing tourists’ intention to stay in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yi Yang, Lijin Wang, Jiaqi Yan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14695-5
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849763231557484544
author Yi Yang
Lijin Wang
Jiaqi Yan
author_facet Yi Yang
Lijin Wang
Jiaqi Yan
author_sort Yi Yang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Benefiting from the tourists’ booming demand of rural tourism, rural homestay industry in Mainland China has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. While limited attention has been paid to rural homestay industry, especially on the mechanism of enhancing tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays. Based on SOR model, this study examined the impact of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays as well as the mediating role of perceived service quality. Using PLS-SEM on data from 341 respondents in China, findings confirmed that physical servicescape positively influenced both perceived service quality and tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays. Additionally, perceived service quality mediated this relationship. The study provided practical insights for tourism stakeholders to enhance rural homestay appeal, fostering local economic growth and financial stability while promoting rural areas as viable tourist accommodations.
format Article
id doaj-art-38d4f16fea1b4b01b93f3f56b7dfdaa0
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-38d4f16fea1b4b01b93f3f56b7dfdaa02025-08-20T03:05:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-14695-5Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestaysYi Yang0Lijin Wang1Jiaqi Yan2School of Economic and Trade Management, Anhui Vocational College of Defense TechnologySchool of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts, Shanghai Institute of TourismGraduate School of Management, Management and Science UniversityAbstract Benefiting from the tourists’ booming demand of rural tourism, rural homestay industry in Mainland China has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. While limited attention has been paid to rural homestay industry, especially on the mechanism of enhancing tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays. Based on SOR model, this study examined the impact of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays as well as the mediating role of perceived service quality. Using PLS-SEM on data from 341 respondents in China, findings confirmed that physical servicescape positively influenced both perceived service quality and tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays. Additionally, perceived service quality mediated this relationship. The study provided practical insights for tourism stakeholders to enhance rural homestay appeal, fostering local economic growth and financial stability while promoting rural areas as viable tourist accommodations.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14695-5Rural homestaysPhysical servicescapePerceived service qualityTourists’ revisiting intention
spellingShingle Yi Yang
Lijin Wang
Jiaqi Yan
Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
Scientific Reports
Rural homestays
Physical servicescape
Perceived service quality
Tourists’ revisiting intention
title Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
title_full Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
title_fullStr Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
title_full_unstemmed Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
title_short Perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists’ intention to stay in rural homestays
title_sort perceived service quality mediates the effect of physical servicescape on tourists intention to stay in rural homestays
topic Rural homestays
Physical servicescape
Perceived service quality
Tourists’ revisiting intention
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14695-5
work_keys_str_mv AT yiyang perceivedservicequalitymediatestheeffectofphysicalservicescapeontouristsintentiontostayinruralhomestays
AT lijinwang perceivedservicequalitymediatestheeffectofphysicalservicescapeontouristsintentiontostayinruralhomestays
AT jiaqiyan perceivedservicequalitymediatestheeffectofphysicalservicescapeontouristsintentiontostayinruralhomestays