Title: Evaluation of visitor reviews and implementation of initiatives to enhance the cave experience: a case study on the Kek Lok Tong Cave in Malaysia

Authors: Kah Choon Ng; Sui Chai Yap; Dag Øivind Madsen; Anil Kumar

Addresses: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ' School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, USM Penang, Malaysia ' USN School of Business, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bredalsveien 11, 3511 Hønefoss, Norway ' Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, Central University of Haryana, # 24, 1st Floor, Academic Block-1, Mahendergarh, 123031, India

Abstract: Cave temple tourism is the practice of visiting and exploring cave temples. In this paper, a case study of the Kek Lok Tong Cave in Malaysia is conducted in order to explore visitor reviews and based on these comments and secondary data on the safety of the temple, initiating initiatives to improve the cave experience. This study helps to understand the concept of cave tourism in Southeast Asia and provides some insight into the various tourism activities that take place in that region. The findings of the case study highlight the functions and perspectives of visitors to a touristy limestone temple to increase current knowledge and understanding of the protection and management of karst caves. The case study of Kek Lok Tong contributes to the currently small literature on cave temple tourism and is an illustration of cave tourism in Southeast Asia. The study also has practical implications for the local and regional tourism industry on how to manage and develop cave temples.

Keywords: cave tourism; cave temple; cave experience; visitor reviews; Malaysia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBFMI.2024.135721

International Journal of Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence, 2024 Vol.9 No.1, pp.103 - 120

Received: 06 Mar 2023
Accepted: 08 Mar 2023
Published online: 03 Jan 2024 *