Tourist experience (TX) has been covered by many studies. However, a consensus on the topic still needs to be reached in terms of its dimensions, factors, evaluation methods, and evaluation models. ...Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected the tourism sector, and the post-pandemic era could bring about new challenges and opportunities, such as the growing awareness of the need for greener, more sustainable, and more balanced tourism. In this study, we consider TX a particular case of customer experience (CX) and an extension of the user experience (UX) concept. We conducted a systematic literature review addressing the concept of TX and reviewing articles published from 2012 to April 2023, indexed in two significant and relevant databases (Web of Sciences and Science Direct). We addressed research questions concerning (1) TX definition; (2) TX dimensions, attributes, and factors; (3) methods used to evaluate TX; and (4) the post-pandemic TX. We selected and thoroughly analyzed 167 articles. We analyze the TX concept, models, evaluation, and the post-pandemic context. We propose a holistic definition of TX and recommend ways to achieve its better analysis. Lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic may be helpful when dealing with future challenges and crises.
•A critical gap in the tourism literature—children’s tourist experiences is discussed.•Reasons for the scarcity of studies on children are highlighted.•Recommendations on how children’s experiences ...should be revealed are suggested.•Children’s voices ought to be included in tourism research.
This research note discusses a critical gap in the tourism literature—children’s travel, and specifically, their tourist experiences based on their own perspectives. The paper highlights a few reasons for the scarcity of studies on children, followed by a recommendation on how children’s experiences should be revealed, arguing that children’s voices ought to be heard if the aim of scholarly inquiry is to conceptualize the tourist experience comprehensively and responsibly.
Tourism and wellbeing Kay Smith, Melanie; Diekmann, Anya
Annals of tourism research,
September 2017, 2017-09-00, 20170901, Letnik:
66
Journal Article
Recenzirano
•Wellbeing-enhancing tourism is based on a hedonic and eudaimonic spectrum.•Eudaimonic tourism activities create more long-term transformational benefits.•Optimum tourist wellbeing combines hedonic, ...altruistic and meaningful experiences.•Self-development and existential authenticity form part of tourist wellbeing.•Destination planners need to adopt a utilitarian approach to wellbeing.
Wellbeing has been a philosophical and sociological concern since the beginning of time, and research has extended over time to disciplines such as psychology, health sciences and economics to name just a few. Tourism studies has also become more focused on wellbeing in the last few decades, both from a theoretical and methodological perspective. After examining the philosophical background of wellbeing from different perspectives, the paper takes a closer look at how these frameworks can inform tourism research and practices. It explores the relationship between diverse terminologies and perspectives as well as the ways in which hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing can be derived through tourism experiences. A spectrum and a model are proposed which outline the relationship between various types of wellbeing, tourism and activities.
En los estudios de turismo poco se ha atendido el papel de las narrativas personales. El presente documento tiene por objetivo exponer los resultados de una investigación en la que, con base en ...observación etnográfica y entrevistas semiestructuradas con visitantes, se analizaron sus actividades, comportamientos e interacciones, así como los discursos y significados que ellos construyen en torno a las vivencias adquiridas durante su estancia en la zona arqueológica de Teotihuacán. Los resultados muestran que las experiencias de los visitantes se constituyen mediante narrativas que involucran situaciones consideradas turísticas y significaciones del viaje del encuentro con el Otro, del ocio, de la recreación y, en particular, del lugar visitado.
This paper explores the complex landscape of smart tourism, investigating the implications of technology and data for sustainable growth within the tourism industry. Understanding the nuanced ...interplay between smart tourism initiatives and sustainability has become critical as the sector undergoes a paradigm shift driven by technological advancements. The paper contextualizes the emergence of smart tourism, unraveling the pivotal role of technology and data in transforming industry dynamics. Through comprehensive analysis, it examines how cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things shape diverse aspects of tourism, from customer experience to operational efficiency. Additionally, it synthesizes evidence on the benefits of smart tourism for enhancing efficiency, sustainability, inclusiveness, experiential quality, and competitiveness across the sector. In conclusion, it contemplates future applications while underscoring the need for a balanced integration of technology and data to realize the promise of smart tourism. Further research on emerging applications, challenges, and best practices is highlighted to guide destinations towards this technology-enabled yet sustainable future.
•Takes a consumer perspective on the meanings of travel blogs for the first time.•Presents a narrative analysis of travel blogs of backpacker travellers.•Explicates how experience is transformed into ...personally meaningful narratives.•Shows how self-reflection and emotions are central to the process of meaning making.
Travel blogs are an under-utilised resource for researchers of tourism experiences. They can provide rich insights on how tourists express the transformational effects of their experiences for the self. This study of travel blogs by nineteen British bloggers reveals how elements of the narrative relating to self-reflection and emotions are central to the process of transforming their travel experiences into personally meaningful experiences. Bloggers implicitly and explicitly express how travel contributes to self-identity, signalling self-development. The study contributes to knowledge about the lasting impact of long term travel on people, adding meaning symbolic of an evolving self.
The smartphone penetrates many facets of everyday life, including travel. As such, this article argues that since travel can be considered a special stage of technology use, understanding how the ...smartphone shapes the tourist experience cannot be separated from the way it is used in one’s everyday life. On the basis of a study of American travelers, this study uses adaptive structuration theory as a lens to identify a number of spillover effects from smartphone use in everyday life into travel. The results of this study offer several important implications for both research and practice as well as future directions for the study of mobile technology in tourism.
What shapes tourist's attitudes towards destinations most, abstract destination image or concrete sensory impressions? This exploratory research investigates the unique role played by sensory ...impressions in understanding destination loyalty through a multi-level validation process utilizing three progressive studies. Study 1, based on online reviews found that positive sensory impressions have a positive effect on loyalty while negative sensory impressions have a negative effect. A field study then revealed that sensory impressions can be distinguished from destination image and provides incremental explanatory power on loyalty. Through a survey of actual tourists, Study 3 verified the robustness of the conclusions of the first two studies and provides evidence that sensory impressions are related to other outcome concepts (perceived quality, value and satisfaction). This research illustrates the mechanisms behind the influence of this emerging construct on destination loyalty, and more importantly, verifies its importance and necessity through a more rigorous multi-level validation.
•Examines how sensory impressions influence tourist loyalty.•Utilizes three interrelated studies to assess how physical impressions relate to image.•Compares the differences between destination image and sensory impressions.•Initially adopts a multi-level validation process for new constructs in tourism research.
This study aims to test some previously proposed MTE (memorable tourist experience) scales by using UGC (user-generated content) posted in social media sites, through script theory and thematic ...analysis. In addition, MTEs and OTEs (ordinary tourist experiences) are compared to identify any significant differences between their dimensions. The results suggest that some dimensions of the MTE scale (hedonism, novelty, meaningfulness, involvement, knowledge and serendipity) are significantly more frequently reported in MTEs than in OTEs, but are not exclusive to MTEs. Despite this, the MTE scale dimensions are able with some accuracy to classify tourist experiences as MTEs or OTEs. Thus, national park managers can use MTE scale dimensions to understand tourists’ evaluations of destinations and should focus their efforts on these dimensions when developing tourism plans.
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