Visitor Expectations Research Articles

Augmented Experiences in Cultural Spaces through Social Participation

Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Social Computing offer promising opportunities to envision and shape augmented experiences in a wide variety of cultural spaces. Such interactive technologies act as a hook to attract visitor's attention, but if they do not provide opportunities to engage people in a more personal and meaningful way, they can be soon discarded. Augmented experiences need to be motivating and connect with values and expectations of visitors and institutions. In a world that is becoming more and more connected and moving towards a participatory culture, the need to participate actively to co-produce knowledge and meaning can be exploited as a powerful intrinsic motivator. In this article, we describe how the Social Display Environment (SDE) promotes participation in cultural spaces whilst keeping the physical connection with the exhibition objects. The SDE makes use of Augmented Reality (AR) technology to augment physical artifacts in an exhibition with overlays of digital information that is generated by the end user (e.g., the visitor). The prototype was exhibited in a cultural center over a weekend to investigate different dynamics in terms of content generation, visitors’ interactions and perceptions with respect to the interplay of digital information and physical artifacts. The prototype was assessed as easy to learn and useful and showed potential to promote a number of meaningful social interactions around the objects involved in the exhibition.

Visitor Satisfaction with a Public Green Infrastructure and Urban Nature Space in Perth, Western Australia

The widely applied Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) provides relatively simple and straightforward techniques to assess how well the attributes of a good or service perform in meeting the expectations of consumers, clients, users, and visitors. Surprisingly, IPA has rarely been applied to inform the management of urban public green infrastructure (PGI) or urban nature (UN) spaces. This case study explores the visitor satisfaction levels of people using a PGI space that incorporates UN, close to the central business district of Perth, Western Australia. With diminishing opportunities to acquire new PGI spaces within ever more densely populated urban centers, understanding, efficiently managing, and continuously improving existing spaces is crucial to accessing the benefits and services that PGI and UN provide for humankind. An intercept survey conducted within the Lake Claremont PGI space utilized a self-report questionnaire to gather qualitative and quantitative data (n = 393). This case study demonstrates how the IPA tool can assist urban planners and land managers to collect information about the attributes of quality PGI and UN spaces to monitor levels of service, to increase overall efficiency of site management, to inform future management decisions, and to optimize the allocation of scarce resources. The satisfaction of PGI users was analyzed using the IPA tool to determine where performance and/or resourcing of PGI attributes were not congruent with the expectations of PGI users (generally in the form of over-servicing or under-servicing). The IPA demonstrated that a majority of PGI users perceived the study site to be high performing and were satisfied with many of the assessed attributes. The survey identified the potential for some improvement of the amenity and/or infrastructure installations at the site, as well as directing attention towards a more effective utilization of scarce resources. Optimizing the management of PGI spaces will enhance opportunities for individuals to obtain the physiological, psychological, and emotional benefits that arise from experiencing quality urban PGI spaces. This case study promotes the important contribution that high-quality PGI spaces, which include remnant and restored UN spaces, make to the development of resilient and sustainable urban centers.

The effect of the Expectation of visitors on the intention to visit the museum

The effect of the Expectation of visitors on the intention to visit the museum

Tour guide training for hospitable nature-based tour experiences

The term ‘hospitality’ has long been linked to accommodation providers and eateries, but the wider range of hospitality, and hospitable experiences, has received little attention from academics and practitioners alike. Although tourism and hospitality are undeniably linked, Lynch [1] notes that “in tourism, there is a curious neglect of welcome given its associations with the idea of universal hospitality” (p. 174). To this end, we argue that hospitality goes well beyond food and accommodation alone, and includes any host-tourist interactions, such as those between guides and tour participants.
 Participants aboard nature-based marine tours are expecting to learn [2]. However, the guide's ability to 'connect' with their audience and provide quality learning experiences is not part of an industry standard. As a result, the expertise and personality of guides varies, as do their duties and their levels of training. Learning is a critical component of nature-based tours, thus placing significant responsibility on the guide in the creation of a hospitable experience. For nature-based wildlife tour operators in New Zealand (and globally), in many cases guide training efforts are a choice left up to the operators. While individual operators' needs may vary, previous hospitality research suggests that beyond fulfilling visitor expectations, appropriate training not only benefits guests, but also increases workplace satisfaction [3]. This paper discusses the need for guide training in increasing the hospitable experience aboard nature-based wildlife tours.
 Through data captured in self-administered visitor surveys, we explored over 400 participants' perceptions of guide abilities related to a hospitable, or pleasant, experience [4]. Tour participants on swim-with wild dolphins tours were asked to rate the importance of items related to their on-tour experience. All items were rated on a five-point scale. Over 93% of the respondents thought that having a knowledgeable and helpful boat crew was important, and more specifically over 90% felt having a knowledgeable guide on board was important. Likewise, the majority of participants identified the importance of learning about various subjects, such as the natural environment (69%) and threats to marine life (66%) – a responsibility that falls to the guides and crew. Being able to understand the safety rules was of near comparable importance to the learning experience desires (86%), as was the cleanliness of the vessel (85%). Our findings demonstrated that in order to create a hospitable experience, marine tour guides must fulfil dual roles as crew and naturalists. The high values placed on educational and safety information emphasise the critical role of knowledgeable guides/crew aboard nature-based tours. While it is apparent that many guides take pride in their work, with many furthering their knowledge during their personal time, the findings from our study highlight the importance of the guide's role in the overall visitor experience.
 While some tour components, such as the safety messages, are matters of legal compliance (and clearly were of high importance to participants as well), other components such as fulfilling the educational desires of visitors should be carefully considered by operators. Our findings show that visitors place a high importance on tour components that are directly related to a guide's performance, personality and abilities. Options for operators include requiring a minimum qualification for guides (e.g., a bachelor's degree in a related field) and/or an investment in continuing and specialised education. In conclusion, guide training on the natural environment and conservation as well as vessel/marine safety is essential. More specifically, this means that operators stand to benefit from guide training that reaches beyond the factual information and includes interpretation techniques. This may seem like a large investment for operators; however, the findings from this research indicate that visitor satisfaction is dependent upon this investment. The role of guides aboard nature-based wildlife tours is central to the overall hospitable experience.
 The original research on which this article was based can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2017.1353609
 Corresponding author
 Brooke Porter can be contacted at: bporter@aut.ac.nz
 References 
 (1) Lynch, P. Mundane Welcome: Hospitality as Life Politics. Annals of Tourism Research 2017, 64, 174–184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2017.04.001
 (2) Lück, M. Education on Marine Mammal Tours – but What Do Tourists Want to Learn? Ocean & Coastal Management 2015, 103, 25–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.11.002
 (3) Poulston, J. Hospitality Workplace Problems and Poor Training: A Close Relationship. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management 2008, 20(4), 412–427.
 (4) Lück, M.; Porter, B.A. Experiences on Swim-With-Dolphins Tours: An Importance–Performance Analysis of Dolphin Tour Participants in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Journal of Ecotourism 2017, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/14724049.2017.1353609

Using multiple indicators to evaluate the sustainability of dolphin-based wildlife tourism in rural India

Assessing wildlife tourism sustainability in developing countries is crucial, but few studies analyse the sustainability of dolphin-based wildlife tourism in this context. We measure multiple indicators within the human dimensions of wildlife tourism, including tourist visitation numbers, satisfaction, preferences, perceptions, background and specialisation, to ascertain the extent to which the dolphin-watching industry at Chilika Lagoon, in rural India might be considered sustainable. Our methods included participant observation, tourist surveys, and the use of secondary data on visitation over 10 years. We found that the growth rate of tourist visitation over 10 years was beginning to decline. Tourists were mostly inexperienced, and dissatisfied with their dolphin-watching experience. Tourist preferences and perceptions showed useful insights and shortcomings in the way in which the industry was being conducted and managed, and reflected the expectations of non-specialist visitors. Our study highlights drawbacks in the way that wildlife tourism is managed in a rural, developing world context, which draws the sustainability of the dolphin-watching industry in Chilika into question. Future development of an early warning system that addresses combined governance or managerial, social, economic and ecological indicators, and an integrated management plan for conservation and wildlife tourism could contribute to the sustainable management of such industries.

A Grounded Theoretical Analysis of Room Elements Desired by Family Members and Visitors of Hospitalized Patients: Implications for Medical/Surgical Hospital Patient Room Design.

To identify family members' and visitors' needs with relation to the design of a hospital room. There is a trend toward incorporating family zones in hospital patient rooms in order to improve patient satisfaction and encourage family caregivers to stay longer and overnight. A mixed-method study was employed. Interviews of patients and family caregivers were conducted to understand opportunities to improve hospital room designs based on recent experiences. Features intended to support short-term and overnight visitors were embedded in five full-scale simulated room design concepts. Small groups of family caregivers and patients toured two room design concepts and reacted real time to room features. A grounded theory approach was employed to identify emerging themes. A theoretical design framework is developed for the needs of family members and visitors for a range of time periods. This framework is founded upon desires to help make the patient feel more comfortable. There are various levels of helping the patient feel more comfortable, including visiting, keeping company, providing support, providing assistance, and being a caregiver. Beyond this core need, family members and visitors must take care of their own needs in order to feel comfortable in the hospital room. Activities associated with these needs include sitting, relaxing, eating, working, tending to daily needs, and resting overnight. Potential implications for architects, healthcare planners, and interior space designers are described. Design and renovation guidance for the hospital room environment in order to support the needs and expectations of families and visitors is provided.

Analysis of Service Quality Dimension on Satisfaction Rate of Visitors of Kota Tua Jakarta

Jakarta as the capital of Indonesia has a cultural tourism that became one of Jakarta's tourist icons, that is the Kota Tua. In Kota Tua district, visitors can see several historical museums as well as primordial buildings built in long centuries ago. As one of the tourist destinations, the manager of the Kota Tua must be able to provide qualified service in line with the expectations of the community. The purpose of this research is to analyze the dimensions of service quality to the satisfaction of Kota Tua visitors. The theory of quality used in this paper is the service quality theory of Parasuraman. This type of descriptive-quantitative research collects the prerequisite data by distributing questionnaires to 50 respondents as a sample. The data analysis is done by utilizing SERQUAL analysis. The outcomes of this study showed that the dimensions/attributes of visitor satisfaction to Kota Tua service are in quadrant I, II, and III with the most dimensions placed in quadrant II. This means that the average quality of Kota Tua service is in accordance with the expectations of visitors.

How and Who are the Visitor World Heritage Tourist Attraction of Jatiluwih?

Jatiluwih is situated in Penebel, Tabanan Bali. Jatiluwih is listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. To increase the contribution of Jatiluwih as tourism attraction to local people, the research is needed to descript visitor profile, visitor purpose, and visitor's expectation after visiting Jatiluwih Tourism Attraction. These findings can be considered for local communities to conduct small businesses such as the recreational services, culinary, agribusiness, and business-related tourism services. This research is quantitative descriptive method which sample is chosen based on purposive sampling technique, foreign and also domestic tourists who visit at time total 107 respondents. The results show more female visitors than men, age groups between 21 to 30 years old, students or college students and dominant are educated undergraduate degree. Tourists who visit Jatiluwih dominant is domestic, followed by number of Australia, UK, and other coutries. Tourists are motivated by the natural beauty of Jatiluwih, they are dominant repeaters, gather information from various sources of information, most of them spend time between one to two hours, they buy entry ticket directly at the counter, the amount of money spent between 50 thousand to 100 thousand rupiah, and the spending power of tourists between 500 thousand to one million rupiah per day.

KUALITAS PELAYANAN DI MUSEUM KAMBANG PUTIH, TUBAN

This study was conducted to determine the quality of service in the Museum Kambang Putih, Tuban in providing services to visitors. This research is a qualitative descriptive study.The focus of research is based on five dimensions of the five dimensions of service quality (SERQUAL) by Parasuraman that is tangible, reliability, responsivenees, assurance, and empathy. These results indicate that the quality of service in the Museum Kambang Putih, Tuban already implementing tangible dimension, reliability, responsivenees, assurance and empathy and its indicators going pretty well. Dimensions responsivenees, assurance and empathy has been running very well and in line with expectations of visitors. But there are several dimensions and their indicators have not been going well and does not meet the wishes of visitors, among other tangible dimension to the indicators amenities to make the inconvenience visitors in museum and includes facilities are not complete, as well as dimensional reliability indicator of officers in the field of education is not in the room so the clerk there and help provide information on the collections and historic objects, due to the lack of education officials in the Museum Kambang Putih, Tuban.Keywords: Quality of Service, Public Service, Museum

Understanding Mega-Events Success and Customer Satisfaction

The events industry is growing every year, the number of events is increasing, and their role in society is becoming more significant. Satisfied participants are the key to successful events and the main objective of event organizers. The aim of the article is to understand what costumers consider more important when attending mega-events. A quantitative survey design was adopted by deploying the American customer satisfaction index (ACSI) that included an event specific customer value package in the context of the EXPO Milan 2015 mega-event. Results demonstrate that expectations of visitors, staff, and volunteers vary considerably, and so do the levels of satisfaction. They also highlight that, alongside other customers' priorities such as cleanliness and safety, capacity plays a role in determining satisfaction. This article presents the summarized findings of a broader study.

Seeing history: a visual assessment of the historic-grounding of Old Western tourist towns

ABSTRACTDespite the significant role that the visual plays in the experience of tourism, few studies have specifically examined the visual appearances of heritage tourist destinations. This study sought to analyze how historically grounded the visual appearances were of two heritage tourist towns in the state of Arizona: Tombstone and Jerome. These towns were both mining towns that experienced historic booms during the days of the American Old West and survive today as tourist destinations. This study utilized a detailed visual comparison of historic and contemporary town photographs in order to assess the relative historic-grounding of building exteriors and streets. It also incorporated the findings of interviews with tourists and town residents regarding their perceptions of visual historic-grounding. Study findings offered a means to assess and compare visual historic-grounding. Additionally, they suggested that while visual historic-grounding was important to visitors, it was one of several factors influencing their perceptions of the town's historic appearance: visual appeal, personal reflections, engaging activities, and previous visitor expectations of the American Old West (often grounded in filmic-representations) worked together to visually communicate a general impression of history within each town.

The Dynamic Games of Visitor Education with Incentive Mechanism

The two-stage dynamic game of visitor education with incentive mechanism is proposed in this paper to study how to raise the effect of the visitor education and how to inspirit the visitors to take part in visitor education programme. In the first stage of the game, the park’s managers should choose proper strategies including positive and negative incentives for visitors. They should choose the optimal inspiriting measures and strengths to encourage the visitors to take part in the education intervention programme. In the second stage of the game, the visitors can decide whether they take part in the visitor education and obey the park’s rules to reduce their unwanted behaviors or not. There are negative utilities for the visitors when they Obey rules of the park and reduce their unwanted behaviors. And the negative utilities function of the visitors is strict concave. The park can induce the visitors to obey the rules and reduce their unwanted behaviors by visitor education intervention programme. The cost of facilities maintenance and nature resource recovering fee, cleaning fee and so on can be saved by reducing visitors’ unwanted behaviors. The cost saving of the park is the return of developing visitor education programme. The return function is convex. The law of diminishing returns is satisfied. And the return growth rate declines gradually when the visitors’ efforts to reduce their unwanted behaviors increase. The Nash Equilibrium solution of the game shows that the park should set up effective and creative incentive mechanism according to the visitor’s negative utilities, the expectation of visitors’ satisfaction and visitors’ sensitivity to inspiriting measures. The incentive mechanisms reflecting multi-benefit demands, common-benefits and joint-responsibilities can inspirit the visitors to participate in the visitor education interventions actively and reduce the negative impacts in tourism destinations.

A Tale of Two Missions

This paper is an examination of the use of Native content in two contrasting sites, Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Midland, Ontario, and Skä•noñh–Great Law of Peace Center in Syracuse, New York. These two sites share a common history, not only as early French settlements, but also as living history museums established in the twentieth century to memorialize and celebrate seventeenth-century Jesuit missions. Revisiting them today reveals their transformation into two very different museum models, incorporating very different methods of presenting indigenous knowledge. The authors consider how two distinct narratives have evolved in the twenty-first century, and how public memory continues to shape visitor expectations. The paper adds to the conversation about museums’ continuing incorporation of diverse historical narratives into their interpretation and programming as well as a rethinking of the ways in which we produce history for public consumption.

Destination Encounters With Local Food: The Experience of International Visitors in Indonesia

Increasing numbers of visitors are seeking out culinary experiences when travelling overseas. Food can enhance the destination experience, giving physiological sustenance and providing opportunities to learn about destination cultures through direct encounters with local cuisines. However, engaging with novel local food might arouse certain visitor expectations, particularly among those who have not visited previously. This study aimed to identify international visitor preconceptions of local Indonesian food and the underlying factors influencing expectations prior to their in-country experience of dining on local food. A questionnaire-based survey that was administered to 349 international visitors identified seven factors underlying their expectations: staff quality, sensory attributes, food uniqueness, local servicescapes, food authenticity, food familiarity, and food variety. A number of significantly different dining expectations were also highlighted between first-time and repeat visitors.

Museum objects and Instagram: agency and communication in digital engagement

In recent years, museums have focused on engaging the public in their collections, exhibitions and programming as they reimagine themselves in the light of changes in technology and visitor expectations. This article spotlights public engagement with museum objects from the perspective of museum visitors, specifically how they engage with objects through the visual social media platform of Instagram. It draws on a case study of Instagram users who visited one popular, urban, Australian museum of contemporary art. We argue that visitor engagement with museum objects on Instagram is informed by agency and authority on the part of the user, and a primary motivation to communicate shared experiences using photography. Findings include a significant focus on objects despite public concerns that social media use in museum spaces is leading to a decreased public engagement in this area. Implications stemming from the research include specific insights for museum practice and understandings that have a potential to impact communication, engagement, and contemporary cultural practices generally.

Tourism in Kampinos National Park in the Opinion of Visitors

Abstract Subject and purpose of work: This article analyses a survey of visitors in Kampinos National Park (henceforth also called Kampinos NP) in order to, among others, explore opinions on the most widely cultivated forms of tourist and recreational activity, as well as to learn about the expectations of visitors with regard to the management of the protected area in connection with the preparation of Park to ensure its accessibility for tourist and recreational purposes. Materials and methods: The study was carried out by the means of the diagnostic survey method, using a questionnaire as an instrument of research. The study group consisted of people visiting Kampinos NP. Results: For visitors, the Park terrain is an ideal place to practice mainly hiking or walking tours and recreational cycling. The park plays a significant role in primarily weekend tourism and recreation, providing a venue for recreational stays and several-hour walks taken by Warsaw agglomeration residents. Conclusions: The research showed that Kampinos NP is one of the best Polish national parks with regard to adaptations for tourism and recreation, as evidenced by one of the densest networks of hiking trails in the country and a wide offer range in terms of natural history and education. In the light of the conducted surveys it can be concluded that the areas of Kampinos NP are well suited for a variety of active tourism and recreation, and the main expectations of visitors focus on appropriate care for the natural environment and small business development.

Improving Indigenous local language opportunities in community-based tourism initiatives in Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada)

ABSTRACTThis study explores visitor perceptions of Indigenous local language use at the Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay and Haida Gwaii Museum. We explore visitor expectations of local language use, the meaning and value of language, and their openness to expanded forms of language expression. The objective was to understand the context and limitations in which the Haida could improve local language opportunities using community-based tourism initiatives to their advantage. An Indigenist methodology informed analysis of 27 in-depth visitor interviews and provided insight into three major themes (1) life experience and heritage informs expectations, (2) [It's a] “Means of Communication” masks a deeper understanding of language, and (3) creating a meaningful space for local language engagement. The findings suggest significant and untapped spaces in which to support the expanded use of culturally appropriate local languages to the well-being of speakers and visitors. Ultimately, visitor affirmation drew on shared experiences of language loss – laying the groundwork for engagement based on the value of language as opposed to its prescriptive use as a commodity. Practical ways forward are given. This research was part of a larger study aimed at encouraging greater visibility and accessibility to Haida language through community-based tourism initiatives.

Events and placemaking: the case of the Festival Internacional Cervantino in Guanajuato, Mexico

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to focus on the Festival Internacional Cervantino, which represents one of the major cultural events in Latin America. Based on theoretical propositions regarding tourism as an experience, perception of visitors was studied focussing on emotional factors. Urban perception was also addressed, especially where public service failure affected the experience and therefore, the placemaking.Design/methodology/approachA mixed methodology was applied. First, the event experience scale (EES) methodology for visitors’ perception was performed in order to collect data directly from tourists. The relationship between the festival and the visit to heritage resources and attractions was especially highlighted and analysed. Urban field work focussed on expressing the location of the most visited areas during festival days. Public services were also assessed where perception was affected negatively. Interviews were applied to public administration officials and public policy-related documents were collected in order to understand the expectation of visitors, previous to the experience itself. Local perception was also contrasted with the rest of the data.FindingsAttracted by information about the historic and colonial nature of the city, tourists gather massively in Guanajuato during the festival. This event in particular yields in some aspects to a transient placemaking, mainly related to inner perception and the event as such is highly appreciated. It was also found that the foreign figure of Cervantes was incorporated into the intangible heritage discourse of the city and linked to the event itself. However, some urban spaces and services need improvement to consolidate a positive experience of visitors who complain about specific factors such as traffic, accessibility, waste disposal and environmental noise.Social implicationsThe fact that the event has caused some problems in a number of urban aspects suggests that new policies might be proposed in order to fill these gaps, especially by the corresponding government agencies. Another issue relates to the concentration of the economic profits and its lack of distribution, which right now does not contribute to social sustainability, yet the event demands high actions and costs to the city and local people.Originality/valueThe research has been useful to give another point of view to existing surveys and conclusions of the impact of the festival. The application of EES has yielded some improvements that could be made in further applications of the same methodology. Application of EES to assess the impact of events in urban spaces and services can be applied to many other cities that host festivals in their city centres.

KUALITAS PELAYANAN DI MUSEUM KAMBANG PUTIH, TUBAN

Service Quality in Kambang Putih Museum, Tuban. This research was conducted to know the quality of service in Kambang Putih Museum, Tuban in providing service to the visitor. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The research focus is based on five dimensions of service quality dimension (SERQUAL) according to Parasuraman that is tangibel, reliability, responsivenees, assurance, and emphaty. The results of this study indicate that the quality of service in Kambang Putih Museum, Tuban has applied tangible, reliability, responsivenees, assurance and emphaty dimension thus the indicators are running well enough. Dimensions of responsivenees, assurance and emphaty have gone very well and are in line with visitor expectations. However, there are several dimensions and indicators that have not run well and not according to the wishes of visitors, including tangible dimensions with facility indicators that make the inconvenience of museum visitors and facilities including incomplete facilities, as well as dimensions of reliability with indicators of officers in the field of education is not in the room so that the officers are there and help provide information about the collection and historic objects, due to the lack of educational personnel at the Museum Kambang Putih, Tuban. Keywords: Quality of Service, Public Service, Museum

It's a Museum, But Not as We Know It: Issues for Local Residents Accessing the Museum of Old and New Art

ABSTRACTThe Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), in Australia's island state of Tasmania, bears all the hallmarks of the new museology and a flagship museum. Located in a largely working class area, there are expectations of visitors from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, particularly local residents. However most visitors are tourists, middle-class, and highly educated. In this article, the authors ask, “What are the issues affecting accessibility to MONA for local residents?” In asking this, they aim to better understand local engagement with MONA and shed light on potential socio-cultural transformation. Using a survey, interviews, and focus groups with local residents, the authors found that accessibility at MONA is defined along familiar socioeconomic lines, though there are indications of change that warrant further investigation. The expense of food and beverage, concern about children's behavior, and the explicit nature of some art all impact on accessibility, particularly for those with less cultural capital.