TABLE OF CONTENTS The phenomenon of tourism occurs in various places and spaces and each of these places and spaces have associated meanings which are socially constructed by peoples within and without those places and spaces. In this section, the interpretation of meaning and place is the key focus along with meaning making processes and the related linkages to quality tourism experiences. The section is composed of two chapters. Chapter Five considers connecting experiences to quality by understanding the meanings behind visitors experiences. Chapter Six explores the notion of sense of place and its relationship to sustainable quality tourism experiences.
In Chapter Five, Kathleen Andereck, Kelly S. Bricker, Deborah Kerstetter, and Norma Polovitz Nickerson review the related literature to determine the meanings of experience in both a recreational and travel sense as well as to highlight the different theoretical and methodological focuses used. Some of the related literature investigated includes, for example, motivation theories and personal construct theories, as well as satisfaction approaches, benefits-based approaches, experience-based approaches, and meanings-based approaches. Following the review of the literature, the authors draw on research related to three different tourism experiences to examine the nature of the meaning and emotions associated with visitor experiences from the visitor, tourist, or recreationalist s experience. These three experience studies constitute three case studies. The first involves automobile travelers who completed...
