%0 Journal Article
%T Exploring visitor experience at a mountain attraction:  The Nordkette mountain in Tirol, Austria
%A Ady Milman
%A Anita Zehrer
%J Journal of Vacation Marketing
%@ 1479-1870
%D 2018
%R 10.1177/1356766717691805
%X The study explores visitor experience while visiting a mountain attraction in the Alpine region of Tirol, Austria, through participant observations, informal conversations, and photography. A grounded theory approach was adopted to uncover the meaning of visitors¡¯ overall experience and deduct a possible theory that may contribute to a better understanding of visitor experiences at mountain attractions. The data collected from 600 subjects at the attraction¡¯s four stopovers concluded that the visiting experience was a process that involved a blend of events composed of material and human elements. Guest experiences were also practiced on a passive¨Cactive continuum, where some of the experiential consumption activities were focused beyond the mountain itself, primarily viewing the landscape and photography. The study affirms the importance of participant observation as a methodological tool to study visitors at a tourist attraction, discusses implications for management, and offers recommendations for enhancing the overall guest experience
%K Alpine tourism
%K grounded theory
%K mountain attraction
%K participant observation
%K visitor experience
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1356766717691805