Indonesia Auditing Research Journal
Vol. 15 No. 2 (2026): June: Auditing, Finance, IT Plan, IT Governance, Risk

The role of tourist engagement in mediating the influence of digital storytelling and accessibility on tourists' visiting decisions to Aek Sijorni

Nurdyanti Choirunnisa Pane (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia)
M Ikhsan Harahap (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia)
Faisal Umardani Hasibuan (Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of digital storytelling and accessibility on the decision to visit the Aek Sijorni tourist attraction, with visitor engagement as a mediating variable. The study used a quantitative approach using the Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) method. Data were obtained through questionnaires distributed to domestic tourists and potential visitors. The results indicate that digital storytelling does not have a direct, significant effect on the decision to visit, but has a positive and significant effect on tourist engagement. Accessibility has a positive and significant effect on both tourist engagement and the decision to visit. Tourist engagement also has a positive and significant effect on the decision to visit. The results of the mediation test indicate that tourist engagement partially mediates the relationship between accessibility and the decision to visit, and fully mediates the relationship between digital storytelling and the decision to visit. These findings emphasize the important role of tourist engagement in driving the decision to visit. The implications of this research suggest that destination managers need to improve accessibility and develop digital storytelling that can enhance tourist engagement to encourage increased visits.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ARJ

Publisher

Subject

Computer Science & IT Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Economics, Econometrics & Finance Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Indonesia Auditing Research Journal is a high-quality specialist journal that publishes articles from the broad spectrum of auditing. Its primary aim is to communicate clearly, to an international readership, the results of original auditing research conducted in research institutions and/or in ...