Managing the structure of tourism experiences: Foundations for tourism design

Understanding the nature of tourism experiences holds the key to effectively managing tourism destinations. Research in psychology, economics, geography, marketing and, more recently, services management, offers new insight into consumer experiences which are defined by moment-to-moment and as discreet (and summarized) events. This paper synthesizes this literature and then identifies emerging tools such as blueprinting and journey mapping which enable design solutions to better manage tourism experiences. Finally, the implications and directions of this new moments-based paradigm for designing tourism experiences are discussed.