Assisting visitor path creation in experiential tourist attractions

Abstract

The question of how to design the visitor journey in experiential settings has received limited attention in the tourist movement literature. In two related studies conducted at a leading wine tourism museum, it was examined whether experiential attractions should provide assistance to visitors in creating their paths. Study 1, a field experiment, shows that providing assistance is beneficial to visitors because it increases spatial control, hedonic value, and overall satisfaction. Study 2, a simulation model using real-life behavioral data, examines the effects of visitor assistance on operational performance, providing a more nuanced picture. The results enrich the literature focused on identifying the dominant paths taken by visitors and extend the descriptive findings of previous studies by considering the performance implications of the path creation decision. From a management perspective, this research highlights trade-offs between resource utilization, congestion levels, and visitor perceptions that should be considered when determining the most appropriate journey design.