A senses-based model for experiential tourism

Luca Meacci; Giovanni Liberatore

Authors

Luca Meacci UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9341-8593
Giovanni Liberatore University of Florence

Keywords:

Experiential tourism, experience process, experience design, WEB site.

Abstract

An experience can be defined as anything that stimulates the senses, heart and mind. Senses play a central role in individuals’ perceptions of the surrounding world. Thus, research on tourist experiences’ sensory dimensions is pivotal to improving visitor management in tourism. Recent studies have shown that successful tourism destinations attract tourists using a systematic approach to stimulating all the senses. This paper discusses the case of a multisensory criteria model applied to the tourism destination of Fiesole, Italy. The main aim was to provide a critical analysis of the various steps and outcomes of tourism experience design. The findings include a set of key tourism-related sensory experience concepts and the critical importance of following a logical order in experience processes. The results provided a theoretical framework that served as the foundation of a senses-based model, which not only provides an innovative focus within tourism research but also can function as a user-friendly tool for operators who need to plan, monitor and evaluate tourist experiences.

Author Biography

Luca Meacci, UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO

Luca Meacci is actually a PhD student at Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação of Universidade de São Paulo, Campus de São Carlos. He is working in problem of applied mathematics and numerical fluid dynamics concerning medical applications.
He has been involved in research, innovation and new solutions, both in the academic and business.
In 2009 he holds a Master's degree with honors in Mathematics for Applications with Prof. Mario Primicerio at the University of Florence (Italy).
In the Department of Mathematics “U. Dini” of the University of Florence, he collaborated on research experiences on the diffusion and transport of electrons and ions, on the modeling of geothermal fields through free boundary problems and on the application of numerical methods and finite elements. Furthermore, during last years, Luca has been working on complex systems, in particular in the application of cellular automata for fighting criminality and tax evasion, in collaboration with the Polytechnical University of Madrid (Spain). He also took part in European conferences and published in italian and international journals.
In the field of business, during last five years, he gained experience as Assistant CEO at NEXT Holding Company S.P.A. and Project Manager at Lascaux S.R.L. Its activities included analysis of processes, research and implementation of solutions and project management in the fields of finance, industry, services and public administration. He also dealt with knowledge bases, performance measurement and business intelligence for the City of Florence. For more than two years he worked in the redefinition of strategic planning and management control of the City, specifically in analysis of data on city population, in the identification of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and in the creation and implementation of a new system of strategic monitoring. He has applied to all these themes with the tools of management and the logical approach of mathematical modeling.
In 2015 and 2016, Luca deals with Research, Development and Project Management in Nemo s.r.l. / DORA China Channel Management, working for a Trading Company based on Shanghai (China).
In March of 2016, he obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration at the Polytechnical University of Business Studies in Lugano (Switzerland).

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A senses-based model for experiential tourism

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