This study investigates how tourist-to-tourist experience congruence influences satisfaction. Grounded in cognitive consistency theory, it proposes that congruence enhances satisfaction by fostering psychological validation. Indulgence, conceptualized as both a cultural value and an individual trait, was examined as a moderator of this relationship, with lower indulgence strengthening the positive effect of congruence. A multi-study design was used: Study 1 analyzed online reviews from New York, Study 2 experimentally replicated the effect, and Study 3 tested shared reality as a mediator. Findings reveal shared reality as a key mechanism linking experience congruence and satisfaction, emphasizing the importance of culturally marketing strategies.