Nina K. Prebensen

Motivation and Involvement as Antecedents of the Perceived Value of the Destination Experience

Research acknowledges the tourist as imperative in creating experience value. Building on this premise, the present study offers an integrated approach to understanding tourists’ experience values and attempts to extend the theoretical and empirical evidence of causal relationships between the motivation, involvement, and the experience value of the destination, hereafter called experience value. Using a sample drawn from tourists in Norway, the research model investigates relationships between the three constructs, using a structural equation modeling approach. The results indicate that motivation and involvement are linked to tourists’ experience value and motivation affects the level of involvement. In order to facilitate for tourists to cocreate experience value then, not only should the industry recognize experiences that tourists value but should also acknowledge motivation and involvement as essential in value creation for tourist experiences.

Experience value: antecedents and consequences

This article outlines and tests a holistic model of tourist experience that includes the effects of the antecedents and consequences of the perceived value of an on-site trip experience. Based on the literature and the results from the present research, this article develops a framework of perceived value experience and its antecedents, such as tourist motivation, involvement, and knowledge, and consequences, such as satisfaction and future intention, in terms of recommendations and repeat purchase. Structural equation modelling is applied to test the model. The results strongly support the notion that the constructs of motivation, involvement (to a lesser extent), and tourist knowledge serve as antecedents to the perceived value of a holiday experience, which influences the consequences of behaviour, such as satisfaction and loyalty.

Determining the Motivation of Wellness Travelers

ABSTRACT This research depicts a new investigative theme pertaining to travel motivation to wellness destinations. Owing to the paucity of definition of such a phenomenon, this study first defines wellness tourism and then launches an empirical study to explore the underlying motivational factors. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are presented. The qualitative method assists the researchers in finding specific attributes alluring the travelers, while the quantitative method profiles the importance ranking of motivations under investigation. The study finds that relaxation, pursing multiple activities, recreation, and enjoying nature are the top four motivations. In terms of the ranks of importance, relaxation is the leading indicator. The research concludes with relevant market implications and suggestions for future research.

Including ambivalence as a basis for benefit segmentation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of ambivalence in benefit‐based segmentation of convenience food in Norway.Design/methodology/approach – Building on the attitude‐ambivalence literature and research about food convenience, a hierarchic cluster analysis is performed based on a nation‐wide representative survey of 1,154 Norwegian consumers.Findings – The studys effort to use attitudinal ambivalence as a basis for benefit or attitude segmentation proved to be useful in finding segments with different profiles in the area of convenience food. The results reveal three consumer segments based on evaluation of quality, value, ambivalence and perceived morals towards convenience food: the “Convenient”, the “Ambivalent”, and the “Dissatisfied” consumer. While the Convenient have positive feelings and the Dissatisfied negative feelings toward convenience food, the Ambivalent have mixed feelings and feel guilt when eating ready meals. The ambivalent consumers share beliefs, attitudes, value...

Creating experience value in tourism.

Preface 1. Co-Creation of Tourist Experience: Scope, Definition and Structure 2. Dynamic Drivers of Tourist Experiences 3. Tourist Experience Value: Tourist Experience and Life Satisfaction 4. Conceptualization of Value Co-creation in the Tourism Context 5. Oh why, Oh why, Oh why do People Travel Abroad? 6. Revisiting Self-congruity Theory in Travel and Tourism 7. Moving People: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding how Visitor Experiences can be Enhanced by Mindful Attention to Interest 8. Co-Creation of Experience Value: A Tourist Behavior Approach 9. Authenticity as a Value Co-creator of Tourism Experiences 10. Experience Co-creation Depends on Rapport-building: Training Implications for the Service Frontline 11. Approaches for the Evaluation of Visitor Experiences at Tourist Attractions 12. Storytelling in a Co-creation Perspective 13. Tourism Information Search: A DIY Approach to Creating Experience Value 14. Co-creation of Value and Social Media: How? 15. Prices and Value in Co-produced Hospitality and Tourism Experiences 16. Value Creation: a Tourism Mobilities Perspective 17. Guide Performance: Co-created Experiences for Tourist Immersion 18. Value Creation and Co-creation in Tourist Experiences: an East Asian Cultural Knowledge Framework Approach 19. Challenges and Future Research Directions

Cocreation as Moderator between the Experience Value and Satisfaction Relationship

The article explores the concept of cocreation of value, defined as the tourist’s interest in mental and physical participation in an activity and its role in tourist experiences. Based on the theoretical perspective of “the new service-dominant logic,” customer participation in tourist experiences is explored and tested as a moderating variable on the perceived value – satisfaction relationship. In essence, the customer partakes mentally and physically in an experience, which moderates the role that experience value has on overall satisfaction. The study thus hypothesizes that the higher the level of participation, the stronger the experience value–satisfaction link becomes and vice versa. Using a sample drawn from tourists in Norway, the results confirm that experience value is an effective predictor of tourist satisfaction. The study reveals that the level of cocreation moderates the effect between the experience value of winter tourism activities and satisfaction.

Segmenting the Group Tourist Heading for Warmer Weather: A Norwegian Example

Abstract The aim of the study is to carry out a segmentation of motivations for tourists travelling on a pre-arranged tour heading for warmer weather. Employing a factor-cluster market segmentation approach, the study outlines four different clusters. “Active Sun and Family,” “Culture Patron,” “Experiencing,” and “Sun and Comfort.” Then the validity of the segments is further analyzed by investigating the choice of destination and activities the different segments engage in, and finally, differences in satisfaction, intentions to repeat the trip, and probability of engaging in word of mouth are evaluated. The results are discussed in view of marketing implications and future research is suggested.

Segmenting Potential Nature-Based Tourists Based on Temporal Factors: The Case of Norway

The opportunity to experience nature-based activities at a destination with climate variations is a major driver of visitation for tourists. Despite significant research into seasonality and nature-based activity preferences, academic researchers are not profiling activity-oriented tourists into segments based on temporal factors such as seasons. To address this research gap, an expert panel was first asked to classify activities collected in a large secondary Norwegian tourist questionnaire into seasons. Next, 8,962 potential nature-based tourists were segmented based on summer, winter, and year-round activity preferences. When seasonality was taken into account, four clusters were identified. A combined model where seasonality was not addressed yielded fewer segments, and differing variables indicating that segmentation researchers may benefit from considering a fifth segmentation factor, namely temporal, in future. Theoretical and practical implications from this research are outlined and opportunities for future research are provided.

Experience value as a function of hedonic and utilitarian dominant services

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative importance of dimensions of experience value in four different hedonic- and utilitarian-dominated services. Design/methodology/approach The proposed hypotheses are tested by an experimental design. Altogether, four different service experiences, taking place during a tourist weekend trip, were studied using a scenario-based approach. In total, 938 members of a nationally representative online panel in Sweden participated in the research. Findings Both hedonic and utilitarian value dimensions are present for the different experiences. However, the structures of the value dimensions differ between hedonic- and utilitarian-dominant services. Surprisingly, functional value and value for money influence satisfaction most for both categories of services. Research limitations/implications The design of the experiment allowed the authors to test different experiences within the same travel setting. The paper shows that all services include both hedonic and utilitarian elements, indicating awareness of what attracts tourists during the whole process of experiencing a journey. Findings suggest that further studies on different hedonic- and utilitarian-dominant firms within the different tourism service categories should be performed. Originality/value Theoretically, the paper only partly confirms the two structures of consumer service value, hedonic and utilitarian, revealed in earlier studies. The paper also reveals that functional value affects satisfaction more strongly in both hedonic- and utilitarian-dominant services. Several explanations for this are suggested. For the tourism industry to enhance experience value and tourist satisfaction, they should, therefore, focus on delivering functional value during the stay and probably more on emotional value in attracting visitors to travel. Results of the paper reveal that services are a part of a continuum between what is mostly utilitarian at the one end and mostly hedonic at the other end.

The effect of brand on churn in the telecommunications sector

Purpose – The present paper aims to investigate the effect of network provider, customer demographics, customer satisfaction and perceived switch costs on churn in the mobile telecommunications market. Design/methodology/approach – The study is carried out as a longitudinal, two-wave study of mobile telecommunications customers in Norway: n=1,499 (wave 1) and n=976 (wave 2). Churn is measured as change in the mobile network provider between the two waves. The data are analysed as a logistic regression with the independent variables provider, gender, satisfaction, switch costs and age. Findings – The analysis shows significant effects of provider, satisfaction, switch costs and age and of the interaction between satisfaction and provider. Gender has no significant effect on churn. Provider effects are interpreted as effects of brand image since other known influences on churn (satisfaction, switch costs and demographics) have been controlled for in the design. Research limitations/implications – Further re...