The planning, design, management and marketing of experiences for tourism markets is a major challenge for tourism destinations and providers in a globalized and highly competitive market. This book bridges the gap in contemporary literature by carefully examining the management and marketing of tourism experiences.

This book provides a review of the current theory and practice of experiential tourism and how it is marketed. Many societies today are characterised by widespread individual wealth of an order previously confined to the elite with the consequence that ownership of ‘ordinary’ physical goods is no longer a distinguishing factor. Instead people are now seeking the ‘extraordinary’ with examples being bodies enhanced through surgery, personal fitness trainers, and, in the case of leisure and tourism, seeking unique and unusual places to visit and activities to undertake. This trend manifests in the increasing consumption of services and the addition of experiential elements to physical goods by businesses aware of societal changes. The trend is enhanced by rapidly changing technology and economic production methods providing new sectors of the world’s population with access to the consumption experiences that are repeatedly featured in the media. This is the experience economy, characterised by a search by consumers for fantasies, feelings, and fun. This book was based on a special issue of Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Mangement.

The Routledge Handbook of Tourism Experience Management and Marketing offers a comprehensive and thorough inquiry into both customary and emergent issues of tourism experience and co-creation. Drawing together contributions from 83 authors from 28 countries with varied backgrounds and interdisciplinary interests, the handbook highlights multiple representations and interpretations of the theme. It also integrates a selection of illustrative global case studies to effectively present its chapter contents. Tourism experience drives the contemporary tourist’s behavior as they travel in pursuit of experiencing unique and unusual destinations and activities. Creating a memorable and enduring experience is therefore a prerequisite for the all tourism business organizations irrespective of the nature of their products or services. This handbook focuses on conceptualizing, designing, staging, managing and marketing paradigms of tourism experiences from both supply and demand perspectives. It sheds substantial light on the contemporary theories, practices and future developments in the arena of experiential tourism management and marketing. Encompassing the latest thinking and research themes, this will be an essential reference for upper-level students, researchers, academics and industry practitioners of hospitality as well as those of tourism, gastronomy, management, marketing, consumer behavior, cultural studies, development studies and international business, encouraging dialogue across disciplinary boundaries.

The marketing landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, especially for tourism and hospitality practitioners. Marketing for these industries is now a multi-dimensional, collaborative venture driven by technological change and the growing demand for authentic co-created experiences. Marketing for Tourism and Hospitality provides students with a contemporary, accessible and useful resource as they prepare to encounter the complexities and challenges of tourism and hospitality marketing globally. A clear articulation of the changing landscape, a comprehensive introduction to the three underpinning themes of collaboration, technology and experiences, and a plentiful supply of international case material provide students with an enjoyable and digestible resource that is both academically rigorous and practice-oriented, helping them prepare for day-to-day problems in the dynamic world of marketing. This contemporary, challenging and highly applied text is an indispensable resource for all students of tourism and hospitality degree programmes.

This edited volume examines the role and place of culture in tourism and how it is manifested in marketing theory, policy and practice. It includes case examples and looks at the roles of tourists, locals and communities, and business practices in facilitating and sharing culture.

The originality of this text lies in its combination of a wide range of knowledge, theory and best practice that has so far been widely distributed across a range of sources. Drawing all this together allows the authors to offer a much needed multifaceted but carefully integrated overview of managing and promoting the tourist experience.For students and practitioners alike it will make clear both in theory and in practice:* What really lies at the heart of the customer experience;* How to manage and improve service provision;* How to influence the customer experience;* Key examples illustrating real world success. The topic of 'experience' is becoming central to a proper and full understanding of consumer behaviour and the book covers the key sectors where it is a critical factor- from resort management and tourist information to destination marketing. International in scope and applicability it backs up the theory throughout with relevant case materials, questions and exercises.Written by experienced educators it is ideal for upper level students in tourism marketing and tourism management, and important for all practitioners and managers who also need to understand the principles and practice of experiential and tourism marketing, tourist behaviour, service quality and customer experience.

The topic of ‘experience’ is becoming central to full understanding of consumer behaviour. The book covers the key sectors where it is critical - from resort management and tourist information to destination marketing. International in scope it backs up the theory throughout with relevant case materials, questions and exercises.