TY - JOUR KW - Colombia KW - Intangible cultural heritage KW - Mediation analysis KW - PLS-SEM KW - Tourism AU - Francisco Cruz AU - Tomas Lopez-Guzman AU - Luz Pemberthy Gallo AU - Pablo Rodriguez-Gutierrez AB - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the loyalty of the tourists who visit a city with an important heritage event: The Holy Week Processions in the city of Popayán (Colombia), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Design/methodology/approach: This research focuses on determining the mediating effect of the perception of the processions and the evaluation of the elements of the destination during a visit to the city by using a sample of 615 tourists. The software tool used in this research is the Smart partial least squares. Findings: Results show that the motivations of the visitor are not enough by themselves to guarantee loyalty regarding the destination, but other variables are needed such as the perception of the processions and the evaluation of the elements of the destination, through which the motivation acquires a true meaning to secure the tourist’s loyalty. Practical implications: The principal practical implication of this research is offering to the stakeholders involved in the promotion and organisation of this event an opportunity to undertake and review actions for improvement. Originality/value: This research seeks to enlighten the interaction between heritage, sustainability and heritage in Latin America. DO - 10.1108/JCHMSD-06-2019-0062 M1 - 2 N1 - Publisher: Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. N2 - Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the loyalty of the tourists who visit a city with an important heritage event: The Holy Week Processions in the city of Popayán (Colombia), recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Design/methodology/approach: This research focuses on determining the mediating effect of the perception of the processions and the evaluation of the elements of the destination during a visit to the city by using a sample of 615 tourists. The software tool used in this research is the Smart partial least squares. Findings: Results show that the motivations of the visitor are not enough by themselves to guarantee loyalty regarding the destination, but other variables are needed such as the perception of the processions and the evaluation of the elements of the destination, through which the motivation acquires a true meaning to secure the tourist’s loyalty. Practical implications: The principal practical implication of this research is offering to the stakeholders involved in the promotion and organisation of this event an opportunity to undertake and review actions for improvement. Originality/value: This research seeks to enlighten the interaction between heritage, sustainability and heritage in Latin America. SP - 172 EP - 188 TI - Tourist loyalty and intangible cultural heritage: the case of Popayan, Colombia UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85076604055&doi=10.1108%2fJCHMSD-06-2019-0062&partnerID=40&md5=39090068070428e7eac873f96cdb0a53 VL - 10 SN - 20441266 (ISSN) ER -