Title: Exploring gaze, flow, spirituality, and serious leisure in motorcycle tourism experiences

Authors: Barjesh Kumari; Sushma Rewal Chugh

Addresses: Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla, India; Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India ' Himachal Pradesh University, Summer Hill, Shimla, India

Abstract: The study explores the unique experiences of motorcycle tourists on the challenging Trans-Himalayan journey to Spiti, Himachal Pradesh. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire from 400 motorcycle tourists, selected via time and place sampling and analysed using confirmatory factor analysis with the R software package. The study highlights key aspects of the tourist gaze, of consuming the place through visual experiences. Motorcycle tourists experience inner peace and a deep connection with nature. The findings also confirm that these tourists achieve a flow state, balancing skill and challenge on scenic routes through this serious leisure with identity, perseverance, and skill enhancement attributes. This research, conducted in the unique context of the Trans-Himalayan region, offers a novel framework for measuring motorcycle tourism experiences. It contributes to the literature on tourism experiences and offer practical insights into destination marketing.

Keywords: motorcycle tourism; tourism experiences; tourist gaze; glance; Gaze 2.0; serious leisure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2025.146088

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2025 Vol.8 No.3, pp.225 - 238

Received: 04 Sep 2024
Accepted: 15 Dec 2024
Published online: 06 May 2025 *

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