Abstract
Destination marketing organisations (DMOs) seek to provide positive pre-travel online destination experiences (ODEs) to attract tourists. Thereby, DMOs understand official destination websites (ODWs) as central sources of information influencing tourists’ travel decisions. Although experiential marketing theory postulates that customers are reached through sensory, affective, intellectual, behavioural or social experiences, this theory has rarely been applied to analysing tourist experiences on ODWs. Past research and theories remain similar to models from product brands, yet fail to acknowledge the peculiarities of destination experiences. This research explores how users of ODWs experience unfamiliar tourist destinations in the pre-travel phase. To gain a deeper understanding of the nature of ODEs on ODWs, a qualitative multi-method study was conducted involving eye-tracking, retrospective think-aloud protocols, semi-structured interviews and video observations with 15 German millennials selected via purposeful sampling. Data was analysed in a qualitative directed content analysis following an abductive approach. Findings expand on previous theory by adding a spatio-temporal experience dimension. In the pre-travel phase, potential tourists explore the spatio-temporal accessibility of expected experiences and the experience density in the destination. Furthermore, this research provides new insights into the different dimensions of ODEs and proposes an advanced conceptual framework.
Highlights
Tourist experiences take place in three phases: before, during and after a trip
In light of the global travel restrictions related to COVID-19, destination marketing organisations (DMOs) have the challenge to reach new customers in source markets close by and to establish or maintain emotional links to would-be tourists
As German millennials have demonstrated a higher than average use of Official destination websites (ODWs) in the pre-travel phase compared to the overall German population (FUR 2020), membership of this generation was set as the first criterion in participant selection
Summary
This research focuses on the pre-travel phase when tourists explore whether the anticipated experiences fit with their travel desires and needs (Larsen 2007; Seeler et al 2018; Tung/Ritchie 2011; Volo 2010). In this phase of inspiration and orientation, ‘distant’, often technology-mediated tourist experiences occur (Sundbo/Dixit 2020; Sundbo/ Hagedorn-Rasmussen 2008). Official destination websites (ODWs) provided by destination marketing organisations (DMOs) are central sources of information in the pre-travel phase (Jeon et al 2018), among millennials (for example in Germany: FUR 2020). Several DMOs have launched campaigns aiming to stimulate consumers’ desire to visit after the pandemic with slogans like ‘dream travel later’ (see for example Switzerland Tourism 2020)
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