INDIGENOUS TRADITION BASED-TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: FOREIGN TOURIST’S MEMORABLE TOURISM EXPERIENCE IN MENTAWAI, INDONESIA

Purpose: This study examines the foreign tourist’s MTE on the indigenous tradition with the objective to find out the foreign tourists’ MTE and its effect on revisit intention and intention to recommend. It is conducted on 51 foreign tourists visiting Mentawai from April to June 2018. Methodology: Convenient sampling is used for the sampling method. Primary data are collected from survey. Result: The result shows that MTE is good (higher) which has a positive significant relationship with the revisit intention due to that the t value of this variable is greater than 1.96., and the path coefficient is 0.619. It indicates the higher MTE which will have an effect on the high opportunity to revisit intention. The effect of MTE on intention to recommend also has a positive significant relationship. The path coefficient also indicates a positive sign, meaning the higher MTE has effect on the higher intention to recommend. Thus, foreign tourists experiencing Mentawai cultural tourism has positive MTE effecting positively tourists’ revisit intention and intention to recommend. Applications: This research can be used for universities, teachers, and students. Novelty/Originality: In this research, the model of the Indigenous Tradition Based-Tourism Development: Foreign Tourist’s Memorable Tourism Experience in Mentawai, Indonesia is presented in a comprehensive and complete manner.