Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis Volume 8 Issue 1 .
Page 35-44 e-issn: 2715-9361 id/index.
php/target Exploring Tourist Revisit Intentions in Lombok: An Inductive Qualitative Content Analysis of Motivations Dhanny Safitri* .
Tifani Dame Hasany.
Baiq Krisnina Maharani Putri.
Rishan Adha.
Nurul Faradila Universitas Mataram.
Mataram.
Indonesia Submitted 10th May 2026.
Revised 6th June 2026.
Accepted 10th June 2026.
Published 23rd June 2026 Abstract Understanding tourist revisit intention is critical for destination competitiveness, yet existing research remains fragmented due to over-reliance on quantitative approaches that examine isolated variables rather than capturing the complexity of tourist behavior.
This study investigates factors influencing touristsAo revisit intention to Lombok Island.
Indonesia, a government-designated super-priority destination where tourism marketing has not been fully aligned with market needs.
Employing an inductive qualitative approach, this research used Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) in NVivo 12 to analyze 22 semi-structured interview transcripts collected from domestic and international tourists via face-to-face and online methods.
The analysis identified 48 codes with 91 occurrences, organized into 11 categories under two overarching themes: push factors and pull factors.
Findings reveal that pull factors .
dominated over push factors .
, with natural attractions emerging as the most prominent driver of revisit intention, followed by tourism activities such as trekking, snorkeling, and surfing.
Among the push factors, novelty-seeking and curiosity were the most significant, reflecting touristsAo desire for exploration and incomplete experiences.
This study extends the traditional push-pull framework into a more holistic, experience-oriented model that better captures the complexity of tourist The findings provide actionable insights for destination managers and policymakers to develop customer-centric, experience-based tourism strategies aligned with authentic tourist needs, essential for achieving sustainable competitive advantage in priority destinations.
Keywords: Lombok Island.
Push-Pull Framework.
Qualitative Content Analysis.
Revisit Intention.
Tourism Marketing.
Copyright A 2026 Authors.
Published by Universitas Bumigora Under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.
0 International License Corresponding author.
Tel: -.
E-mail: dhanny.
safitri@staff.
DOI: 10.
30812/target.
How to cite:
Safitri.
Hasany.
Putri.
Adha.
, & Faradila.
Exploring Tourist Revisit Intentions in Lombok: An Inductive Qualitative Content Analysis of Motivations.
Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis, 8 .
, 35-44.
35 | Accredited SINTA 4 .
ttps://sinta.
id/journals/profile/10.
36 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 Introduction The tourism industry is a highly strategic, multinational business activity that contributes significantly to global service exports and national revenues (Khuong & Ha, 2.
It is widely recognized as a key driver of economic growth in many countries and as an important foundation for improving livelihoods, building wealth, and generating income (Abbasi et al.
, 2.
Consequently, numerous nations have actively developed their tourism sectors through policy formulation and infrastructure development to enhance competitiveness in an increasingly global market (Sadq et al.
, 2.
Indonesia is among the nations actively engaged in this competition.
In the Indonesian context, tourism is even positioned as a priority sector aimed at becoming a major source of foreign exchange, stimulating economic growth, and improving public welfare through job creation (Antara & Sumarniasih, 2017.
Haryana, 2.
However, the success of a tourism destination today is no longer determined solely by physical infrastructure.
rather, it is increasingly shaped by touristsAo subjective experiences and evolving preferences (Chen et al.
, 2.
Understanding this shift begins with an examination of tourist behavior, particularly motivation, which refers to the combination of needs and desires that drive individuals to engage in tourism activities in pursuit of satisfaction (Mundi, 2.
For destination managers, understanding these motivations is essential, as tourists are influenced by a wide range of factors when selecting destinations.
These include price, accommodation, service quality, destination image, seasonality, accessibility, education, self-actualization, leisure interests, and information availability (MuinoviN et al.
, 2.
developing a comprehensive understanding of these motivational factors, destination managers can tailor more targeted tourism products and strategies, ultimately enhancing their competitiveness in the tourism Building on this understanding, it is equally important to examine how these motivations influence touristsAo intention to revisit a destination.
Tourist revisit intention refers to the likelihood that a tourist will return to the same destination in the future, and is often considered a strong indicator of satisfaction, loyalty, and overall destination performance.
Retaining or attracting repeat visitors is significantly more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.
Moreover, repeat tourists tend to spend more, stay longer, and serve as organic marketing agents through positive word-of-mouth recommendations (Ayoub & Mohamed.
Lin et al.
, 2.
Consequently, destinations must shift from traditional product-based marketing toward a customer-centric marketing approach that places the tourist at the center of development strategies and value creation (Datiko, 2.
Despite its significance, the study of revisit intention still faces several limitations in the existing The urgency of this research stems from the observation that literature on revisit intention is often fragmented due to an over-reliance on quantitative analysis, which frequently fails to capture the full complexity of tourist behavior.
Traditional models often focus on the net effects of single or several variables, whereas tourist behavior results from a combination of interdependent factors (Cohen et al.
Su & Rahman, 2.
To address this limitation, this study advocates a qualitative approach, which enables a more in-depth and holistic understanding of touristsAo revisit intention trends.
It is due to Qualitative methods allow researchers to explore phenomena as they occur in reality, capturing the "essence" of the tourist experience without the constraints of pre-defined variables.
Therefore, unlike studies that rely predominantly on quantitative methods, this research seeks to capture the complexity, context, and underlying meanings behind tourist behavior, thereby providing richer insights for destinations managers.
To apply this study.
Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara.
Indonesia, was selected as the research setting.
The Indonesian government has identified Lombok as a key component of its national tourism development agenda, designating it as a Super Priority Destination and one of the AuTen New BalisAy (Wahim, 2.
Furthermore, the appendix to Presidential Regulation No.
84 of 2021 concerning the National Tourism Destination Master Plan for LombokAeGili Tramena .
0Ae2.
notes that tourism marketing efforts in Lombok have not yet fully aligned with market demands, indicating a mismatch between destination promotion and touristsAo expectations (PERPRES No.
84, 2.
This issue underscores the importance of understanding touristsAo revisit intention to Lombok.
Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing touristsAo intention to revisit Lombok and to provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying repeat visitation in a priority tourism destination.
The study contributes to the tourism literature by enriching the understanding of revisit intention in emerging island destinations and providing empirical evidence from the Indonesian tourism context.
From a practical perspective, the findings offer valuable insights for policyVolume 8.
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37 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 makers, destination management organizations, and tourism stakeholders in designing more effective and demand-oriented tourism strategies to strengthen destination competitiveness and encourage sustainable tourist retention.
II.
Method This study employed a qualitative approach using inductive Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) to investigate factors influencing touristsAo intention to revisit Lombok.
Indonesia.
Given that prior research on revisit intention has been fragmented and predominantly quantitative, examining only two to three variables at a time, an inductive qualitative design was adopted to obtain a holistic, emic understanding of motivational factors from touristsAo own perspectives, unconstrained by predefined theoretical Moreover, an inductive approach is used to obtain informantsAo perceptions or perspectives in the most honest manner (Lune & Berg, 2.
Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions, conducted both face-to-face .
t Pantai Kuta.
Pantai Senggigi.
Desa Wisata Sade.
Gili Trawangan, and Gili Ged.
and online via video conferencing (Google Meet and Zoo.
Informants comprised domestic and international tourists who had visited Lombok and were selected through purposive sampling.
In total, 22 interview transcripts met the quality criteria and were retained for analysis.
Sample size was determined by data saturation, the point at which no new information emerged to address the research question (Bengtsson, 2.
Data analysis was conducted using NVivo 12 software following a three-stage inductive QCA process, which includes open coding, recontextualization, and categorization/compilation.
Next, after the categories are determined, the process of further analysis and writing In addition, the number of codes, categories, and/or themes is calculated for descriptive statistics purposes (Lune & Berg, 2.
To enhance credibility and trustworthiness, findings were triangulated with secondary data obtained through desk research, including academic literature, statute, and relevant online sources.
Results and Discussion From coding 22 interview transcripts, 48 distinct codes were identified, with 91 occurrences.
These codes were subsequently clustered into 11 categories and synthesized into two overarching themes, pull factors and push factors, as presented in Table 1.
Table 1.
Push and Pull Factors Influencing Tourist Revisit Intention to Lombok Island Theme Category Code Frequency Push Factors Novelty Seeking and Curiosity Still curious about Lombok Desire to visit previously unexplored destinations Feeling of incomplete exploration of Lombok Sub-total Social Interaction and Relationship Enhancement Sub-total Enabling Conditions Sub-total Achievement and Invited by friends Introducing Lombok to friends Visiting family or friends Honeymoon Holidaying with family or friends When financial resources are sufficient If the trip is free or sponsored When time permits When circumstances allow Building a business Continued on next page Volume 8.
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38 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 Table 1AiContinuation Theme Category Dream Fulfillment Sub-total Emotional Attachment Sub-total Total Push Factors Pull Factors Natural Attraction Sub-total Cultural Attraction Sub-total Amenities Sub-total Tourism Activities Sub-total Environment Sub-total Total Pull Factors Total Code Occurrences Code Fulfilling bucket list Nostalgia Pleasurable past experience Beautiful natural scenery of Lombok Visiting East Lombok Uniqueness of Lombok Visiting waterfalls Visiting various destinations Visiting Bukit Merese Visiting Gili Air Visiting the southern Gili Islands Visiting Gili Meno Visiting Gili Trawangan Visiting Mandalika Visiting southern beaches Visiting northern beaches Visiting Ekas Beach Visiting Pink Beach Visiting Sembalun Beautiful beaches LombokAos local culture Observing LombokAos development Affordable accommodation Nasi Puyung .
ocal cuisin.
Affordable food and beverages LombokAos culinary offerings Pelecing Kangkung .
ocal cuisin.
Variety of tourism activities Hiking Mount Rinjani Staying overnight at the Gili Islands Snorkeling Surfing Atmosphere of Gili Trawangan Relaxed atmosphere Uncrowded environment Frequency As illustrated in Table 1, touristsAo revisit intention to Lombok is a multifaceted, dynamic phenomenon shaped by the interplay between intrinsic psychological motivations .
ush factor.
and extrinsic destination attributes .
ull factor.
This categorization is grounded in the pushAepull framework, which remains a dominant theoretical lens for explaining tourist behavior (Arowosafe et al.
, 2022.
Chan & Baum, 2007.
Yang et al.
, 2.
However, rather than functioning as independent dimensions, the findings indicate that push and pull factors interact in a reciprocal, reinforcing manner, in which internal Volume 8.
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39 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 motivations are continuously shaped and redefined through lived travel experiences.
This observation highlights a critical limitation in existing studies of revisit intention, which often rely on fragmented, predominantly quantitative approaches that fail to capture the complexity and context of tourist behavior.
Pull Factors as Key Motivational Drivers of Tourist Revisit Intention The results reveal a higher frequency of pull-related motivations .
compared to push factors .
From this result, it could be argued that the strength of pull factors outweighs the push factors, suggesting that destination-specific attributes play a more decisive role in shaping revisit intention.
Three factors that may have driven this result are quality, a wow factor, and the fulfillment of touristsAo expectations regarding the destination attributes in Lombok.
The highquality physical environments and "wow" experiences that tourists encounter during their visit can be a vital aspect of destination attributes, transforming a standard visit into a vivid memory and cementing the visitorAos emotional connection and commitment to return (Juliana et al.
, 2023.
Yaghi et al.
, 2.
Braimah et al.
and Hidayah .
also suggested that when the attributes of a destination, such as the quality of accommodation, beautiful scenery, or weather, meet or exceed a touristAos prior expectations, a state of satisfaction is achieved.
This satisfaction then directly translates into a higher likelihood of revisit and positive word-of-mouth recommendations (Juliana et al.
, 2023.
Yaghi et al.
It is worth noting that while destination attributes, including natural attractions, cultural heritage, amenities, tourist activities, and the overall environment, serve as the primary drivers of revisit intentions in Lombok as found in this research, tourism managers must still address certain areas of improvement.
Infrastructure, in particular, remains a critical concern.
Prior research has consistently demonstrated that inadequate physical conditions, such as poor road quality or limited access to clean water, can significantly reduce tourist satisfaction and act as barriers to revisitation, regardless of a destinationAos natural appeal.
This phenomenon, commonly referred to as the "infrastructure-expectations gap," highlights the risk of a mismatch between the destinationAos promoted image and its on-site reality (Arowosafe et al.
, 2022.
Niu et al.
, 2.
Consequently, tourism managers in Lombok are urged to ensure that the quality of physical facilities aligns with promotional standards, as failure to do so may ultimately undermine long-term revisit intentions.
Beyond infrastructure, tourism stakeholders in Lombok should also place greater emphasis on green and sustainable practices.
Destination attributes are increasingly tied to long-term sustainability, making this an essential consideration in contemporary tourism management (Orden-Mejya et al.
, 2025.
Tiwari et al.
, 2.
As tourists become more environmentally conscious, eco-friendly infrastructure and responsible tourism practices are emerging as significant pull factors influencing destination choice (Mundi, 2025.
Nguyen Huu et al.
, 2024.
Suhartanto et al.
, 2.
When a destination successfully integrates sustainability into its core offerings, it not only enhances visitor satisfaction but also safeguards the natural and cultural resources that originally motivate tourist arrivals.
In turn, this creates a sustainable cycle of repeat visitation and contributes to the destinationAos long-term economic stability (Mundi, 2025.
Tiwari et al.
, 2.
In the broader sense of tourism, this finding strengthens previous research which shows that pull factors are more dominant than push factors in influencing tourist motivation to traveling to a specific destination (Valencia et al.
, 2.
and their revisit intention (Khuong & Ha, 2014.
Suhartanto et al.
In contrast.
Allan .
and Yoon and Uysal .
found the opposite results, where the power of push factors was actually greater that pull factors.
These divergent findings suggest that touristsAo motivations and their revisit intentions are sensitive to contextual factors.
nonetheless, the influence of both variables remains evident, though the magnitude of their effects differs across contexts.
Accordingly, a precise understanding of tourist motivations at the destination level is paramount for the relevant tourism management authorities, as it underpins informed decision-making and strategic planning (Chan & Baum, 2.
Upon closer examination, natural attractions were identified as the most prominent pull factor, accounting for 32 of 58 pull-related codes.
Informants consistently emphasized the breathtaking landscapes of the Gili Islands, the Mandalika area, and Mount Rinjani as pivotal factors shaping their intentions to revisit.
For example, one tourist mentioned Authe beach in Lombok is really beautiful and maybe IAoll go to Gili Air next time.
I really like it, it doesnAot seem too crowded and it looks more relaxedAy.
These Volume 8.
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40 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 findings are consistent with Alvarado-Vanegas et al.
and Arowosafe et al.
, who highlight the importance of natural resources in fostering destination loyalty.
However, this study further demonstrates that natural attractions serve not only as physical assets but also as experiential and symbolic elements shaping touristsAo emotional attachment and destination image.
In the context of Lombok as a priority tourism development area, this suggests that maintaining environmental quality is not only an ecological concern but also a strategic necessity for sustaining revisit intention.
The interview data analyzed in this research indicate that tourist motivation is a combination of several factors.
For example, one of the tourists mentioned that the reason for her revisit intention was due to the natural attractions and varied activities in Lombok by saying Authe beaches here are beautiful, and it seems like thereAos plenty to do on the island Ay.
In fact, tourism activities were identified as the second most prominent pull factor .
, with high-engagement experiences such as trekking, snorkeling, and surfing playing a crucial role in shaping memorable experiences.
While Douglas et al.
conceptualize activities as a link between motivation and destination choice, the present findings suggest a deeper role, where activities act as experiential intensifiers that strengthen emotional bonds and create lasting impressions.
This reinforces the argument that revisit intention is increasingly experience-driven, requiring destination managers to move beyond attraction-based development toward designing immersive and meaningful tourism experiences.
Push Factors as Complementary Determinants of Tourist Revisit Intention On the intrinsic side, novelty seeking and curiosity emerged as the dominant push factors .
TouristsAo intention to revisit was often driven by a sense of incomplete exploration or curiosity about unexplored aspects of Lombok.
Specifically, many tourists expressed a desire to return because they felt they had not yet fully explored the island or were curious about future developments.
This finding supports Sthapit et al.
Aos observation that the search for unique, once-in-a-lifetime experiences is a significant driver of memorable tourism encounters.
In Lombok, the diversity of the landscape creates a sense of "unfinished business" that motivates repeat visitation, a dynamic also observed by Dancausa et al.
in the context of novelty-driven behavioral intentions.
In addition, based on Jang and Feng .
, satisfaction factors influence touristsAo revisit intentions in the short term, whilst novelty-seeking influences touristsAo intentions in the medium term.
Thus, this highlights the importance of product diversification in tourism development to enhance novelty-seeking and curiosity, particularly in priority destinations like Lombok, to maintain long-term competitiveness.
Moreover, social interaction and relationship enhancement were identified as significant push factors .
, with tourists expressing intentions to return for family vacations, honeymoons, and social bonding.
This aligns with Prayag and Ryan .
and Suhartanto et al.
, who emphasize the role of social motivations in travel behavior.
However, this study adds nuance by showing that LombokAos destination environment actively facilitates these interactions, thereby strengthening emotional attachment and reinforcing the intention to revisit.
Taken together, these findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge by addressing the fragmented nature of revisit intention research and advancing a more holistic understanding of the construct by applying an inductive qualitative approach.
Specifically, this study demonstrates that revisit intention is not determined solely by isolated variables or motivations, but rather emerges from diverse external and intrinsic factors.
This integrative perspective is particularly relevant in the context of Lombok as a priority tourism development destination in Indonesia, where tourism strategies have been acknowledged for not being fully aligned with market needs as mentioned in the attachment document of Perpres Nomor 84 Tahun 2021 (PERPRES No.
84, 2.
By adopting a qualitative approach, this study provides deeper insights into the underlying meanings and contextual dimensions of tourist behavior that are often overlooked in quantitative research.
As such, it offers both theoretical and practical contributions: theoretically, by extending the pushAepull framework into a more dynamic and experience-oriented model.
and practically, by informing destination managers and policymakers on how to design more customer-centric and experience-based tourism strategies, specifically its tourism marketing strategy.
Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of understanding revisit intention as a holistic and evolving process, particularly for destinations like Lombok that aim to achieve sustainable and competitive tourism development.
A better understanding of tourist motivation is essential to designing effective destination strategies, and push-pull Volume 8.
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41 | Dhanny Safitri Target: Jurnal Manajemen Bisnis | e-issn: 2715-9361 frameworks help explain how internal drivers and external attributes converge in tourist decision-making (Alvarado-Vanegas et al.
, 2.
IV.
Conclusion This qualitative study employed inductive Qualitative Content Analysis to investigate factors influencing touristsAo intention to revisit Lombok Island.
Indonesia.
Analysis of interview transcripts identified multiple codes organized into categories under two overarching themes: push and pull factors.
The findings reveal that revisit intention is shaped by the complex intrinsic psychological motivations and extrinsic destination attributes, with pull factors demonstrating greater influence than push factors.
Natural attractions emerged as the most prominent driver of revisit intention, followed by high-engagement tourism activities.
Among the push factors, novelty-seeking and curiosity dominated, reflecting touristsAo desire for exploration and new experiences.
By adopting a qualitative approach, this research extends the traditional push-pull framework into a more dynamic, holistic model that better captures the complexity of tourist behavior.
Several limitations warrant consideration.
The research was conducted exclusively in Lombok Island, which may limit generalizability to other tourism contexts.
The sample size of 22 informants, though sufficient for data saturation, represents a relatively small subset of the tourist population.
Future research should address these limitations through longitudinal studies that track tourists across multiple visits, comparative studies across different destination types, and mixed-methods approaches that combine qualitative depth with quantitative generalizability.
The findings offer actionable recommendations for destination managers and policymakers.
Given the dominant role of natural attractions, environmental preservation through sustainable tourism practices and strict protection regulations is critical to prevent over-tourism and degradation.
Destination managers are also encouraged to adopt experience-oriented development by designing immersive, meaningful experiences and leveraging novelty-seeking motivations through continuous product diversification.
Integrating sustainability through eco-certification programs, community-based tourism, and waste management systems will safeguard resources that motivate repeat visitation.
For Lombok to achieve its potential as a super-priority destination, tourism development must move beyond infrastructure provision toward creating meaningful, sustainable, and memorable experiences that inspire tourists to return.
Acknowledgment The authors would like to thank Universitas Mataram for the research grant that supported this Special appreciation is extended to all informants for their valuable time and insights, which were essential to this research.
The authors also sincerely thank all individuals and parties who contributed to the successful completion of this study.
Declaration The authors declare that this research is an original work conducted collaboratively by all authors.
All ideas, analyses, and findings presented in this study are the result of the authorsAo own academic work and have not been published or submitted elsewhere for publication.
The authors also confirm that all sources, references, and cited materials have been properly acknowledged and cited in accordance with academic and ethical standards.
References