After dark at Bran Castle: nighttime tourism as a value-added experience

Nighttime tourism has emerged as a distinctive form of value-addedexperience, extending cultural visits beyond daytime and enablingheightened emotional engagement, narrative immersion, andmemorability. this study examines the dynamics of nighttime tour-ism through the case of Bran castle (‘Dracula’s castle’) in Romania,focusing on the latent constructs that shape visitor perceptionsand experiential outcomes. Guided by the experience economy,dark tourism, and narrative authenticity frameworks, the researchanalyzes how visitor motivation, quality satisfaction, and perceivedauthenticity interact to generate emotional engagement and expe-riential value. Data were collected from 521 visitors during the 2024 high season through a structured questionnaire administeredto participants in nighttime tours. exploratory and confirmatoryfactor analyses supported a five-factor structure comprising VisitorMotivation, Quality satisfaction, Narrative authenticity, emotionalengagement, and experiential Value. structural equation modelingindicates that motivation functions as an initial driver, influencingperceptions of service quality and narrative authenticity, whilethese factors significantly predict emotional engagement.experiential value, reflected in memorability, recommendationintentions, and future visitation, emerges as the cumulative out-come of these interrelated constructs. the findings demonstratethat experiential value in nighttime tourism is formed through asequential and mediated process, rather than as a direct outcomeof initial motivations. they highlight the critical role of emotionaland narrative dimensions alongside service quality in shapingvalue-added experiences. the study further contributes to tourismgeographies by showing how nighttime settings reconfigure therelationship between place, atmosphere, and visitor perception. inpractical terms, the results offer insights for heritage destinationmanagers seeking to design immersive nighttime tourism experi-ences that enhance visitor engagement and competitive position-ing across international heritage contexts.