Rural tourism, originating in Europe and gaining traction in China in the 1990s, plays a crucial role in optimizing rural industrial structures and boosting local economies. China's Rural Revitalization Strategy further emphasizes its development. The core target audience for rural tourism is urban residents seeking experiences in agricultural settings and traditional customs. This study focuses on Nangou Village, a key model village in China's rural revitalization strategy, to understand the factors influencing tourists' revisit intentions. While existing research has explored rural tourism development strategies, it often lacks a scientific quantitative analysis of tourist experiences and expectations. This study aims to address this gap by quantifying the relationship between landscape perception, satisfaction, and revisit intention, providing data-driven recommendations for landscape optimization.

Existing research highlights the importance of unique cultural and geographical landscapes in rural tourism development. Studies emphasize the role of cultural experiences (Zhang and Wang, 2018), local sentiment (Chen, 2020), and local characteristics (Xu and Tang, 2016) in shaping tourist experiences. The significance of ecological aesthetics in landscape planning (Shi, 2021) is also noted. However, most studies focus on the supply-side perspective, neglecting the demand-side, and quantitative research methods are often lacking. This study builds upon existing literature by employing a quantitative approach to investigate the influence of landscape perception on tourist satisfaction and revisit intention, bridging the gap between supply-side strategies and actual tourist experiences.

This study adopted a quantitative research design, employing a survey method to collect data from tourists in Nangou Village. A total of 344 valid responses were obtained through both on-site and online questionnaires. The questionnaire included sections on demographic information, landscape perception (divided into five dimensions: natural ecology, historical culture, leisure recreation, research experience, and integral route), satisfaction, and revisit intention. A 5-point Likert scale was used for measuring the perception level. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 27.0) and AMOS 27.0. Reliability analysis was conducted using Cronbach's alpha to assess the internal consistency of the scales. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed to validate the measurement model, ensuring convergent and discriminant validity. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships between landscape perception, satisfaction, and revisit intention. The bootstrap method was applied to analyze the mediating effect of satisfaction.

The demographic analysis revealed a balanced gender distribution, with a broad age range and diverse occupational backgrounds. Most respondents had middle to higher education levels and belonged to the middle-income group. Reliability analysis demonstrated good internal consistency for the scales used (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8). CFA results confirmed the validity of the measurement model. SEM analysis revealed significant positive relationships between landscape perception and satisfaction (path coefficient = 0.559, P < 0.001), landscape perception and revisit intention (path coefficient = 0.434, P < 0.001), and satisfaction and revisit intention (path coefficient = 0.377, P < 0.001). The mediation analysis indicated that satisfaction plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between landscape perception and revisit intention (indirect effect confidence interval [0.141, 0.314]). The five dimensions of landscape perception all showed significant positive correlations with revisit intention, with historical culture and integral route having the strongest impact. Average scores indicated that while landscape perception and satisfaction were relatively high, revisit intention needed improvement.

The findings confirm the significant influence of landscape perception on tourist satisfaction and revisit intention, with satisfaction acting as a mediator. This underscores the importance of creating high-quality landscapes that meet tourist expectations. The strong influence of historical culture and integral route highlights the importance of cultural authenticity and well-designed tourism routes in shaping positive tourist experiences. The relatively lower scores for revisit intention suggest that Nangou Village needs to improve its overall tourism offerings to enhance tourist loyalty. These findings align with previous research highlighting the impact of landscape characteristics on tourist behavior. The detailed breakdown of landscape perception into five dimensions provides valuable insights for targeted improvements.

This study contributes to the understanding of factors influencing revisit intention in rural tourism contexts. The findings provide practical recommendations for improving the tourism landscape in Nangou Village, focusing on enhancing historical and cultural aspects, creating a strong red culture brand, and developing attractive boutique routes. Future research could explore the long-term impact of landscape improvements on revisit intention and the potential influence of other factors, such as service quality and marketing strategies.

This study is limited by its focus on a single village and a relatively short data collection period. The sample might not be fully representative of all tourist segments visiting Nangou Village throughout the year. Furthermore, the study primarily focuses on landscape-level improvements, while other factors, such as service quality and marketing, also contribute to revisit intention. Future studies could explore these limitations by conducting research across multiple rural tourism destinations, employing longitudinal studies, and integrating broader contextual factors.