Visitor Experience Research Articles

Creating a softening cultural-landscape to enhance tourist experiencescapes: The case of Lu Village

Tourist destination management involves many resources, including local culture and landscape but rarely are both considered together. To address this deficiency this study focused on the visual softening of a Chinese traditional village to enhance visitor experiences by planting vegetation consistent with cultural and heritage principles. It does so by using empirical data from the case study site of Lu Village in China. The study is directed toward explaining how a fusion of nature possessing cultural values might visually improve a village destination to make it more attractive for tourists. It represents a little explored aspect of the policy of “cultural consumption” currently espoused by the Chinese authorities, yet one that is low cost for Chinese villages. However, application of the policy requires planning of routes, locations, and messaging to provide information for tourists and maintain privacy for residents. The required consultative process may enhance senses of village cohesion.

Community Empowerment through the Development of a Tourist Village in Penatih East Denpasar

Penatih Tourist Village in East Denpasar, Bali, exemplifies a successful integration of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and community involvement. Featuring scenic rice fields and the traditional Subak Lestari system, the village offers activities such as walking, cycling, and photography. Development efforts include enhancing telajakan areas with ornamental plants, installing direction boards, and reorganizing the jogging track, which improve visitor experience and navigation. The establishment of local SMEs further supports the village's tourism infrastructure. This research employed qualitative and descriptive methods, including field surveys and interviews with local stakeholders, to assess the village’s tourism potential. Post-COVID-19 challenges, such as reduced market hours and neglected maintenance, highlighted the need for revitalization. Enhancing the traditional market and extending its operational hours, along with further developing SMEs, can strengthen the village’s appeal, support local entrepreneurship, and preserve its cultural and environmental assets.

Internalized Sexual Stigma, Sexual Orientation Disclosure, and Patient Experience Among Gay Men and Lesbian Women in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Purpose: Previous research has found that stigma, discrimination, and depression are associated with the sexual minority population's medical experiences. However, there is still a lack of relevant research results in Taiwan. This study investigated the health-seeking experiences and influencing factors of gay men and lesbian women in Taiwan. Methods: We recruited gay men and lesbian women through lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)-friendly websites and associations between November 2019 and June 2020. Surveys included the demographics, medical visiting experiences, Measure of Internalized Stigma, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Daily Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire. Results: There were 270 participants, including 188 gay men and 82 lesbian women. Most respondents refused to disclose their sexual orientation to health care providers; some feared seeking medical care and preferred seeking LGBT-friendly health care services. Compared with lesbian women, gay men had higher levels of internalized sexual stigma, victimization, concealing sexual orientation, and experiences of medical staff denying services. Discrimination, depressive severity, and internalized sexual stigma affected the medical visit experience. Conclusion: In Taiwan, the health care experiences of gay men and lesbian women are affected by discrimination, internalized sexual stigma, and severe depression, while facing challenges of fear of seeking medical care or reluctance to disclose their sexual orientation.

Opportunities for meaningful climate change engagement in vulnerable nature settings

Abstract Nature‐based tourism has a unique opportunity, and arguably responsibility, to promote widespread action on climate change. However, research suggests an aversion to providing information that might appear divisive or ‘ruin’ peoples day, particularly in places that are vulnerable to degradation. We explore how exposure to climate change information in vulnerable nature settings influences indicators of (i) the visitor experience and (ii) climate change engagement. Using a quasi‐experimental approach, we provided climate information on tourist boats operating on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and compared visitor experiences with a control condition where climate information was not provided. Visitor surveys (n = 656) assessed perceptions and experiences. Overall, visitors on trips where climate information was provided were more likely to report that the reef experience exceeded their expectations and did not report any reduction in subjective trip satisfaction. However, we detected minimal effects of climate information on indicators of climate engagement (threat awareness, action awareness, or information seeking), suggesting room for improvement in interpretation approach and design. Indeed, visitors reported high levels of acceptability for incorporating more information about climate change, particularly about actions. Synthesis and applications: These results suggest that providing climate information does not undermine visitor experiences and while further research is required to determine the most effective approach for influencing climate change engagement, an appetite for more information exists. It is possible that what tourism operators are fearful of, may be an opportunity to improve outcomes aligned with both industry and environmental objectives. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Estimating the value of self‐drive recreation in the remote Kimberley: Sensitivity to multi‐destination trips

AbstractThe remote and iconic Kimberley region, in northern Western Australia, is a contested landscape with growing pressure for different types of land use and development. The region has high biodiversity values and impressive scenery that provide attractive recreation experiences for visitors. We estimate the value of domestic recreation to the region using a travel cost model. Analysis includes two approaches for accounting for multi‐destination trips (MDTs) given travel to remote sites are more likely to include these than shorter trips, and four specifications for the value of travel time. We estimate a total consumer surplus of A$110.34 million annually and find that adjusting travel costs for MDTs using stated survey information produces a better fitting model than using revealed travel information. These findings highlight both the importance of estimating recreation values for use in land use planning in the Kimberley and for improving the travel cost method for remote sites where per‐trip travel costs are high.

SATISFACTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN MALAYSIA’S OLDEST NATIONAL PARK: TAMAN NEGARA PAHANG

This study evaluates the satisfaction of both international and domestic tourists within Malaysia’s oldest national park, Taman Negara Pahang, employing a quantitative methodology through a survey comprising eight distinct dimensions: amenities, service quality, natural allure, accommodation, food services, transport, recreational offerings, and expense. The researchers garnered a sample of 387 respondents via convenience sampling and analysed using frequency distribution and independent sample t-tests. Findings indicate a general satisfaction among tourists with their park visitation experience. However, the researchers identified that service quality, transport, and cost require substantial enhancements to elevate the tourist experience. While both tourist groups displayed similar satisfaction levels, international tourists reported marginally higher satisfaction across most dimensions except for recreational activities. Varying motivations, influenced by geographical origins, attribute this discrepancy to the criteria for satisfaction evaluation. The study underscores the importance of continual tourism demand for sustaining national park conservation efforts through revenue generation. The researchers anticipate that the insights derived from this research will guide enhancements in the performance of tourism products and services through diversified feedback. Marketing strategies tailored to cater to the distinct preferences of domestic and international tourists are recommended, especially for Taman Negara Pahang, which enjoys popularity among both visitor segments.

The Manta mystique: Destination image and its effect on tourist citizenship behavior and willingness to sacrifice

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced tourism managers to reevaluate their strategies for attracting visitors and aiding in the recovery of destinations. This new approach emphasizes increased tourist engagement with the destination and stresses the importance of concepts like tourist citizenship behaviors and their willingness to sacrifice. This research investigates the correlations among destination image, tourist citizenship behaviors, and the willingness to sacrifice. By examining these factors, the study provides valuable information into the emotional and cognitive aspects of tourists’ interactions with the destination image and their collaborative behaviors. This information can be used to enhance the visitor experience and the attraction of the destination. Conducted in the captivating city of Manta, Ecuador, this research aims to address the gap in understanding tourists’ perceptions of South American destinations, presenting a unique perspective on the region's tourism potential. Beyond advancing tourism literature, this comprehensive study offers practical approaches for destination marketing organizations to attract tourists and enhance destination competitiveness.

Short but meaningful: visitors’ experiences underlying time spent looking at artworks and labels

ABSTRACT For more than a century, the timing and tracking (T&T) approach has been widely used in museums. Museum professionals tend to find the average time visitors spend in front of artworks ‘too short’. This implies to consider mediation devices as a hindrance that could distract even more visitors’ attention from artworks. However, when visiting an exhibition, what happens when a visitor looks at an artwork which is systematically accompanied by a label of almost equal or even greater size? In 2019, the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille (France) opened the temporary exhibition Le rêve d'être artiste (The Dream of Being an Artist) where each artwork was accompanied by a large label seeking to encourage and guide visitors during their visit by asking questions, telling anecdotes, or providing information to be found in the artwork. The museum wanted to know whether the labels were read, and in what proportions; what effects reading the labels would have on the visitor’s relationship to the artworks; and whether the time spent reading and focusing on an artwork changes over the course of the exhibition. To answer these questions, a study initiated a dialogue between T&T observations, and visitors’ physical, cognitive, and emotional activity reported by visitors themselves through a stimulated recall interview. This article highlights visitors’ relationship to the artwork via labels such as guiding, reducing ambiguity, answering questions, explaining the exhibition’s approach, and triggering interest in artworks a visitor might otherwise have missed. Eventually, the authors argue the pitfalls of trying to infer the visitor experience from solely observing viewing patterns and measuring time spent looking at an artwork. Therefore, the study breaks with the tradition of T&T alone in museums and calls for qualitative indicators of experience.

Local Festival and Visitor Experience: Festival Innovation Design as an Attractive Regional Tourism Destination

Local Festival and Visitor Experience: Festival Innovation Design as an Attractive Regional Tourism Destination

Redefining General Public Segment In Kustomfest: A Research On Visitor Motives In Attending A Kustom Kulture Festival

The Indonesian creative economy has experienced significant growth, with creative tourism emerging as a prominent driver. This study centers on Kustomfest, the Indonesian Kustom Kulture Festival, recognized as one of the largest Kustom Kulture hubs in the country. Between 2019 and 2023, there was a notable shift in the festival's audience composition, with the general public now constituting the majority segment. The research aims to identify and analyze the key motives driving the general public to attend Kustomfest, segment the market based on these motives, and examine each segment's sociodemographic profiles and behavioral characteristics. Three distinct market segments were identified, each motivated by different factors. Insights from this study can assist organizers of similar Kustom Kulture-related events in expanding creative tourism in Indonesia. By understanding visitor motivations and behaviors, event organizers can tailor marketing strategies, enhance visitor experiences, and capitalize on revenue opportunities from the general public segment. Recommendations are provided to attract, retain, and expand each segment through business model innovation, thus contributing to the sustained growth of Indonesia's creative economy. The findings highlight the importance of understanding visitor motivations and behaviors to maximize the impact of cultural events on the broader creative economy. These insights enable event organizers to foster growth in Indonesia's creative sector, ensuring that cultural festivals like Kustomfest continue to evolve and appeal to a diverse audience.

The role of the museum shop in sustainable futures

ABSTRACT In recent years the museum shop has been recognized as an important part of the broader organization, both in its economic contribution and its cultural impact on the visitor experience. Yet little academic research examines how the museum shop can support museum agendas. This paper addresses this gap by rethinking the role of museum shops in supporting museum sustainability initiatives. Sustainability has become an important topic across the museum sector in recent years, including within museum retailing. Museum shops typically address sustainability by attempting to reduce their environmental footprint, but such interventions are usually limited to minimizing impact rather than providing an alternative vision of what the shop could be and do. By contrast, utilizing a sustainable development framework, we contend that the museum shop can make a significant contribution to areas of social, cultural, environmental and economic sustainability, and in doing so strengthen museums' relationships with their visitors and the broader public.

Using Of Artificial Intelligence In The Cultural And Creative Industries: A Public Administration Perspective

The purpose of this article is to explore the specific aspects of implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in the cultural and creative industries from a public administration perspective. The article analyses the main opportunities and directions for incorporating AI into public management for the development of these sectors in Ukraine. It highlights that digital transformation, facilitated by AI technologies, requires adherence to structural-functional, informational-communicative, and organizational-technological approaches. These approaches ensure decentralization, modernization of information infrastructure, and optimization of management processes. The article outlines the prospects and directions for AI integration into public administration in the cultural and creative sectors in Ukraine. It identifies the main benefits of AI, such as the ability to analyse large volumes of data, predict trends, automate routine processes, and support informed decision-making. These benefits can enhance the quality and accessibility of cultural products and create new channels and consumption models. This includes applications like the digitization of cultural heritage, management of cultural institutions, and the creation of personalized experiences for visitors. The article also identifies potential risks associated with implementing AI in public administration for the cultural and creative industries in Ukraine. These risks include issues related to copyright protection, ethics, and transparency in decision-making. Despite the significant potential, the integration of AI in public administration is still in its early stages. It faces numerous challenges, such as a lack of clear methodological approaches and practical tools, as well as risks related to privacy, algorithm transparency, and employment impacts. The article emphasizes that using AI in creating creative products raises important considerations regarding the value-based foundations of the cultural and creative sectors. It transforms creativity from an individual to a collective endeavor, where the role of machine systems becomes comparable to that of humans. Additionally, the article proposes a refined definition of «creative industries» in Ukrainian legislation, considering the specificities of creating creative products with AI.

Visitor Experience in Digital Museums: Dimensions, Scale Development, and Validation

Visitor Experience in Digital Museums: Dimensions, Scale Development, and Validation

Predicting the Number of Visitors with Artificial Neural Networks to Support Strategic Decision-Making for Science Centers

Accurately predicting visitor attendance has become increasingly vital for science centers to optimize operations, improve visitor experiences, and stay competitive in attracting and engaging global audiences. As the demand for advanced predictive analytics grows, this study explores the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to forecast visitor numbers at science centers. In order to achieve this objective, data pertaining to the number of visitors to the Konya Science Centre was utilized. By analyzing a dataset of ten input factors, such as weather conditions and past visitor behavior, the study develops predictive models capable of accurately estimating future attendance patterns. The best-performing model, utilizing Bayesian regularization, 0.91444 for the training set, 0.25119 for the test set, and 0.91342 overall. These findings underscore the transformative potential of predictive analytics in science center management. Leveraging machine learning techniques, the study provides valuable insights into visitor preferences and behavior. This knowledge can empower science centers to make data-driven decisions, optimize resource allocation, and adapt their offerings to meet the evolving needs of their target audience. Ultimately, the study highlights how predictive analytics can enhance the long-term sustainability and global competitiveness of science center operations.

A systematic review of digital transformation technologies in museum exhibition

Museum exhibitions, both temporary and permanent, form an essential link between a society and its cultural, historical, and artistic heritage sites. Curating artifacts and thematic displays in museum exhibitions can promote dialogue, foster cultural appreciation, and contribute to heritage preservation. The traditional way of holding museum exhibitions, heavily reliant on the expertise of designers and curatorial staff, makes them a labor-intensive process, from conceptualization to visitor engagement analysis. This review systematically compiles and examines how the application of digital transformation technologies (DTTs) has revolutionized museum exhibitions and augmented their future potential. DTTs such as artificial intelligence, immersive technologies, additive manufacturing, the Internet of Things, and cloud computing can help create engaging designs, improve accessibility and inclusivity, enhance educational potential, and allow for sophisticated visitor experience data collection and analyses, improving exhibit management. However, despite multiple specialized studies on DTTs and their roles in museum exhibitions, the connections between technology and application scenarios remain underexplored. By addressing this gap, this study is expected to inform and inspire practitioners in the museum and heritage sectors and present new research avenues for scholars.

Provide a Positive Experience For Visitors to Your Facility

Provide a Positive Experience For Visitors to Your Facility

Design of an orchid conservation trail in Ixtaczoquitlán, Veracruz, Mexico

Objective: To raise awareness about the ecological importance of orchids and to promote the species commercialized by a company focused on their production through the design of a trail. Design/Methodology/Approach: A diagnosis of the plot was carried out to identify its characteristics and points of interest. A trail was designed to connect the most outstanding points. Native trees, which are the habitat of orchids, were subsequently planted to establish the outdoor collections. Results: The appeal of the place and the established phorophytes were taken into consideration to design the trail. Likewise, recommendations were made on what species of orchids should be planted in each station along the trail. Study Limitations/Implications: Evaluating visitor experience is pending. The trail lacks infrastructure for people with disabilities. The trail is located in an area subjected to anthropization and it will take several years before orchids can be established on the trees planted in July 2023. Findings/Conclusions: Trails are a useful tool to promote the conservation of native orchids; however, under anthropization conditions, it should be subjected to a systematized implementation to provide the climate and phorophyte conditions necessary for the survival of orchids.

Beyond ‘Frustration’: Rethinking Participation and Collectivity in documenta fifteen

The fifteenth edition of documenta, promoted as a ‘participatory event’ (Mitmach-documenta), not only ‘disappointed’ due to controversies related to anti-Semitism, but also due to the so-called ‘limited realisation of the promoted art participation’. This article explores the intertwining dynamics of participation and collectivity through the contributions of three Indonesian art collectives at documenta fifteen. Employing Sruti Bala’s expanded notion of participatory art, transcending the dichotomy of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ participation, a more nuanced perspective on documenta fifteen is developed. Local genealogies of participatory art within the Indonesian context, as well as their global translation in Kassel, are taken into consideration. To that end, the article opens up critical entry points for re-evaluating documenta from a multi-sited research perspective, based on the experiences of visitors, documenta staff, the art collectives, and their contributions. The objective is to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between participation and collectivity in documenta fifteen from a transcultural perspective.

Application of intelligent internet of things and interaction design in Museum Tour

The rapid development of information technology and the continuous improvement of human spiritual and cultural level have made people's acquisition of knowledge and information increasingly urgent. The information transmission method of traditional navigation systems is single and passive. This study aims to improve user experience and enhance the interactivity of museum visits. This article combines interactive technology in the Internet of Things to conduct in-depth research on the tour guide system in museums. By utilizing IoT technology, optimize the interaction design of the intelligent navigation system, and enhance the convenience and experience of visitors. In the experimental analysis, this article compared the main ticket purchasing methods of tourists, the level of understanding of museum staff about the collection, the amount of information obtained by tourists, and the satisfaction of tourists. The comparison results show that the proportion of electronic ticket purchases has increased by 35 % in terms of ticket purchasing methods. The staff's understanding of the collection has increased by 19 %, the amount of information received by tourists has increased by 12.7 %, and tourist satisfaction has also increased by 24.3 %. The conclusion indicates that the interactive design navigation system based on intelligent Internet of Things and interactive design can effectively meet the needs of different users and provide the public with a richer and deeper cultural experience.

Fisheye Night Sky Imager: A Calibrated Tool to Measure Night Sky Brightness

The Night Skies Team of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has developed a new camera system equipped with a fisheye lens to measure night sky brightness. This NPS Fisheye Night Sky Imager comprises a back-illuminated Sony IMX455 CMOS sensor housed in the ZWO ASI6200MM camera, a Johnson V filter, and a Sigma 8 mm F3.5 fisheye lens. All of the components are commercially available. The fisheye lens allows us to capture the entire sky in a single frame. The wide-angle view also introduces calibration challenges. To address this, we have customized tools and devised innovative methods for calibrating the system, including flat-field correction, pixel scale determination, and field of view characterization. Additionally, we use standard stars for precise positional and photometric calibration. Furthermore, we create an open-source Python pipeline to process these fisheye images and leverage Git and GitHub for source code version control and distribution. The resulting images provide a positionally and brightness-calibrated fisheye view of the night sky, with a photometric calibration uncertainty of 0.12 mag. When comparing our Fisheye Night Sky Imager measurements to images taken with other calibrated systems, we reliably achieve consistent results under both dark and bright skies. Our Fisheye Night Sky Imager not only enables rapid assessment of sky quality but also supports the feasibility of establishing permanent monitoring locations. Recognizing that the natural dark sky is a critical element for natural, cultural, educational, and visitor experiences, this new camera system enhances our ability to assess resource conditions and fulfill the NPS mission of conserving resources unimpaired for the enjoyment of this and future generations.