Memorable Tourism Experiences: Scale Development

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a research intended to develop a reliable and valid measurement instrument for memorable tourism experiences from the perspectives of more regular and typical leisure-oriented travellers. The exploratory stage involved data analysis of 100 travel blog narratives and 35 in-depth interviews and the subsequent quantitative stage gathered data through a survey of 700 respondents who had visited some of the major tourist sites in Australia. The study confirmed a reliable and valid MTE instrument having 34 items across the ten experiential dimensions: authentic local experiences; novel experiences; self-beneficial experiences; significant travel experiences; serendipitous and surprising experiences; local hospitality; social interactions; impressive local guides and tour operators; fulfilment of personal travel interests and affective emotions. However, the relative importance of these dimensions can differ according to the destinations and travellers’ demographic characteristics. The results provide important managerial implications for destination marketing efforts.