Behavioral intention of visitors to an Oriental medicine festival: An extended model of goal directed behavior

• EMGB is used to understand the behavioral intention of Oriental medicine festival visitors.
• Image of Oriental medicine festival site and perception of Oriental medicine affect attitude.
• Attitude, subjective norm, and positive anticipated emotion influence visitors' desire.
• Desire influences visitors' behavioral intention.
• Image and perception have significant relationships with attitude towards the medicine festival.

Despite the importance of Oriental medicine festivals to Oriental medical tourism, little research has been conducted to understand the behavioral intention of visitors to these festivals. Therefore, this study examines the behavioral intention of visitors to a Korean Oriental medicine festival. This study employs the extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB) that incorporates two constructs related to Oriental medicine festivals: the Oriental medicine image of festival site (image) and the perception of Oriental medicine (perception). An on-site survey was conducted with 423 visitors attending the Sancheong Herbal Festival in South Korea. Results reveal that attitude, subjective norm, and positive anticipated emotion influenced visitors' desire to attend the festival, which, in turn, influenced their behavioral intentions. Two constructs of image and perception formed positive and significant relationships with attitude toward attending the festival. Practical implications of the study results are discussed.