TH1701

The Theory of the Tourism Experience

What is an Experience?
Experiences are made up of behavior, perception, cognition, and emotions that are either expressed or implied
(Oh et al., 2007). Tourism experiences are created through a process of visiting, learning, and enjoying
activities in an environment away from home (Stramboulis & Skayannis, 2003 in Jurowski, 2009).
Frameworks
The four (4) realms model (Pine &Gilmore, 1999 in Jurowski, 2009) suggests that the underlying features of
tourism experiences are: education, esthetics, escapism, and entertainment. These realms have conceptual
and practical relevance to tourism since experiences are the core product of the industry. Below is an
illustration of the four (4) realms (or dimensions) of experience differentiated by the level and form of
customer involvement and participation in business offerings:

Along the customer participation

axis, passive participation of the
customer in a destination/business
offerings characterizes the
entertainment and esthetic
dimensions, while education and
escapism dimensions reflect active
participation.

A tourist who passively participates

in destination activities does not
directly affect the performance of a
destination/business, while an active
participant will personally affect the
performance or event that becomes
part of his/her experience.

Figure 1: Four Realms Model

(Source: Oh et al., 2007)

Along the absorption-immersion axis, the tourist typically “absorbs” entertaining and educational offerings of
a destination and “immerses” in the destination environment resulting in esthetic or escapist experiences.
Absorption in this context is defined as “occupying a person’s attention by bringing the experience into the
mind” and immersion as “becoming physically (or virtually) a part of the experience itself”.
Each of the dimensions is unique and when strategically combined yields an optimal tourist experience. Below
is a breakdown of the four (4) dimensions (Oh et al., 2013):
 With education experiences, a tourist absorbs the events unfolding before him/her at a destination.
Many tourism and hospitality offerings include educational dimensions such as education programs
and informal lectures; heritage sites also offer mostly educational experiences. For example, visitors
to an art festival may learn the historical background of knitting and weaving presented in various
ways (brochures, conversations with artists).

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 In esthetic experiences, tourists enjoy being in the destination environment without affecting or
altering the nature of the environment presented to them. They passively appreciate or are influenced
by the way the destination appeals to their senses, no matter the level of authenticity of the
destination environment. For example, tourists may visit Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte to just enjoy the
beach and the winds that blow in both from the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
 The entertainment experience occurs commonly when tourists passively observe activities and/or
performances of others. It requires that the offerings catch and occupy customer’s attention and
readiness. For example, watching and listening to a Regine Velasquez’s impersonator singing at a local
music festival or watching a clown riding a tall unicycle at an amusement park.
 The escapist experience requires greater immersion and participation than entertainment and
educational experiences. It requires that tourists affect actual performances or occurrences in the real
or virtual environment. For example, tourists who participate in rafting, paragliding, bungee jumping,
and other activities available in a destination.
Schmitt’s taxonomy (1999 in Jurowski, 2009) proposed five (5) components of experiences:
 Sense – appeals to customers’ sense of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
 Feel – appeals to customers’ inner feelings and emotions.
 Think – appeals to customers’ intellect and creativity.
 Act – appeals to customers’ physical behaviors, lifestyles, and interactions.
 Relate – appeals to customers’ self-esteem, being part of a subculture, or a brand community.
Four (4) of the above components are similar to the realms of experiences model. Sensory and feel experiences
are similar to entertainment and esthetics, while the think component (creative cognitive experiences) is
similar to education and escapism. Although the final component (relate) does not appear in the theory of
four (4) realms.
Another analysis of the experience is made by Aho (2001 in Jurowski, 2009). This is a theory stating that the
traditional stages of a tourism experience (before, during, after) can be expanded into seven (7) stages, as
follows:
a. Orientation (awakening interest toward a product)
b. Attachment (strengthening interest in a product)
c. Visiting (actual visit/purchase)
d. Evaluation (comparison of products visited/purchased)
e. Storing (photos, souvenirs, memories)
f. Reflection (repeated presentations)
g. Enrichment (continued contacts with memorabilia, new practice developed during the trip)
Of the seven stages, the first two (2) are pre-trip and the last four (4) are post-trip.

Implications to Tourism
An understanding of the tourist experience is critical to the competitive position of tourism
destinations/businesses. Effective marketing requires a diagnosis of offerings and an analysis of consumer
choices.
 Increased pressure on destinations to develop successful strategies – In today’s competitive market,
the most effective marketing strategy manages the consumer’s tourism experience through all the
seven (7) stages of tourism experience (see above). The pressure on destinations to develop successful

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strategies is increased because Web and Internet technologies make it possible for guests to find a
unique and personal experience. Producing a desirable experience is the ingredient of the economic
strategy of destinations. An essential source of competitive advantage is the creation of a desirable
experiential environment for a tourist.
 The importance of a more desirable mix of activities in destinations – The four (4) realms of tourism
experiences can be used by destination marketing organizations (DMOs), tour operators, travel
planners, and researchers to evaluate the mix of activities being offered in a destination/business. This
analysis will provide information to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of offerings depending on
which dimension these fall under, thereby providing a clue on what product development and
marketing strategies are needed to be implemented.
 The need for a greater understanding of the factors that create a relationship between specific
activities – The development of packaging and marketing strategies requires an understanding of
factors that create a relationship between specific activities such as the strong connection between
back road tours and scenic train ride (both yields adventure/action) or the connection between
wineries, art galleries, and culture and historical sites (all require observation; yields learning). DMOs
that seek to manage the consumer’s experience and create a desirable experiential environment need
a greater understanding of how each activity/product in a destination/business is related to each
other.

References:
Jurowski, C. (2009). An examination of the four realms of tourism experience theory. International CHRIE
Conference-Refereed Track. 23. Retrieved from
http://scholarworks.umass.edu/refereed/Sessions/Wednesday/23 13 March 2018
Oh, H., Fiore, A. M., & Jeoung, M. (2007). Measuring experience economy concepts: Tourism applications.
Journal of Travel Research, Vol. 46, 2007, 119-132. DOI: 10.1177/0047287507304039
Schmitt, B. (2011). Experience marketing: Concepts, frameworks and consumer insights. Foundations and
Trends in Marketing, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2010, 55-112. DOI: 10.1561/1700000027

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