The Influence of Smart Infrastructure, Cultural Heritage Preservation, and Green Mobility on Urban Sustainable Tourism Development: The Mediating Role of Tourist Satisfaction

Abstract

This paper investigates the multidirectional nature of the relationship between smart infrastructure, preservation of cultural heritage, and green mobility in the context of sustainable tourism development in the city, with the mediating variable being the tourists' satisfaction. This paper draws on the Sustainable Development Theory and the Triple Bottom Line to examine the relationship between the elements and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 and 12, and how they contribute to sustaining a sustainable and inclusive tourism ecosystem. This paper employed a quantitative research design, in which a structured questionnaire was administered online to 252 Chinese students studying in Malaysia who are all experienced urban tourists in both China and Malaysia. Adapted constructs were those based on a proven scale, with a five-point Likert scale, and PLS-SEM was the means of analysis. A measurement reliability and validity test, a structural relationship test, and a mediation effect test were measured by the results of the analysis through bootstrapping. As the results suggest, the slight or non-significant effect of smart infrastructure and cultural heritage preservation on tourist customer satisfaction and sustainable outcomes is noticed. Relative to this, green mobility is a highly strong driver in shaping tourist satisfaction, not to mention urban sustainable tourism planning, which is why it ought to be central in creating sustainable urban destinations. This study is relevant to the discussion of sustainable tourism, as it emphasizes the importance of considering the ecologically friendly movement and integrating IoT technologies into tourist-focused solutions, while also revitalizing cultural heritage through new forms of communication.