A Research Agenda for Tourism Experience Design: Atmospherics, Storytelling and Technology

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary.

This book provides a timely and authoritative roadmap for understanding and advancing research on tourism experience design, focusing on the intersections between atmospherics, storytelling, and technology. It identifies critical research gaps and charts future directions, grounded throughout in responsible and sustainable approaches.

The Research Agenda explores how storytelling shapes tourist identity, emotional engagement, and transformative experiences. Chapters cover key issues such as co-creation, well-being, and economic sustainability. Contributing authors highlight the use of technologies and innovative tools, such as artificial intelligence, StoryMaps, and machine learning applications, in experience design. Sensory and immersive experiences are also emphasised with chapters on sensory storytelling, sensory gardens, and place attachment. By integrating robust theoretical foundations with managerial and marketing perspectives, the book offers an evidence-based and practice-oriented understanding of this rapidly evolving field.

A Research Agenda for Tourism Experience Design is an essential and accessible resource for students and scholars of tourism studies and hospitality management. It is also beneficial for practitioners, policymakers, and destination managers looking for actionable insights.