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While quantitative survey design represents a default research method in the field of hospitality and tourism, qualitative approaches remain largely sidelined. This is particularly true for netnography, a novel method of scientific enquiry that targets the online interactions of various actors. The present chapter seeks to introduce the netnographic approach, outline its implementation in hospitality and tourism, as well as demarcate it from other methods, such as survey, text mining and content analysis. By giving an overview of recent studies employing netnography, the chapter demonstrates applied examples of ethnographic research online, presents a cross-cultural study on disappointing travel experiences and suggests further research avenues, such as cross-cultural investigation. It concludes by discussing strengths and weaknesses of the netnographic approach. The value of this chapter lies in its reflection of state-of-the-art research in hospitality and tourism based on netnography and the proposition of further directions of research.

This study aims to bridge the gaps in the extant literature on memorable tourism experiences (MTEs) and Airbnb by exploring the sources of negative memorable Airbnb experiences among Finnish guests.

This study used a qualitative approach and used data collected through semi-structured interviews. The sampling criteria for selecting participants were that they must be Finnish nationals who had booked and stayed in an Airbnb accommodation within the past 36 months. The participants were selected using a criteria-based snowball sampling technique. A qualitative empirical study was conducted using self-structured interviews that were completed by 18 Finnish tourists who had stayed at an Airbnb property in the past three years.

Three main sources constitute the conceptual framework of a negative memorable Airbnb experience: unclean accommodations, unpleasant host behaviour and poor customer service.

Airbnb management should make efforts to reduce guests’ negative experiences. This goal can be achieved by developing service-quality-management policies and strategies that are standardised, clear and universally applicable to all hosts. In addition, Airbnb management should recruit qualified customer service personnel and equip them with service recovery skills through training and control mechanisms. Such training should focus on upgrading their ability to handle complaints.

This study responds to the need to examine negative incidents that are a part of MTEs and the sources of negative memories. The originality of this study includes the extension of the existing literature on MTEs and Airbnb, as a conceptual framework of negative memorable Airbnb experiences that comprises three main components: unclean rooms, unpleasant host behaviour and poor customer service has been proposed.

This qualitative study aims to explore the activities that guests perform while staying in Airbnbs, emotions associated with these experiences and the components of memorable Airbnb experiences.

An empirical study of a qualitative nature was conducted using a self-administered open-ended questionnaire among tourists who had stayed in an Airbnb in the past three years. Data were collected using two different sources for triangulation purposes, referred to as Studies 1 and 2.

Many respondents reported conducting similar activities while at home and while staying in an Airbnb, supporting Burch’s (1969) spill-over theory. Travellers mostly recalled mundane activities, such as cooking. The results suggest that the spill-over effect is more prevalent in the Airbnb context than in other accommodation types, as one often travels from one’s own home to another’s home. Respondents associated their Airbnb experience with the positive emotion of joy. Respondents mentioned numerous reasons for having felt joy during their Airbnb experiences, such as sharing the trip with travel companions and spending time with friends.

Airbnb should clearly define host’s tasks and responsibilities, hosts should treat guests in a friendly manner, which includes resolving any problems they face in relation to the rental property.

This paper proposes a new conceptual framework for a memorable Airbnb experience, which comprises several components: socialising and bonding with friends and family members, location, the host’s hospitality, a homely feeling, home amenities and negative experiences (the poor condition of the room and a dishonest host).

City has a continuous need to diversify its products and services to ensure longer tourists’ stays and a profitable tourism industry. Kuala Lumpur is one of the most popular cities in the world, and within its vicinity, Batu Caves are not only an important Hindu religious site, but also a popular tourist attraction. Guided by the four realms of experience dimensions (Pine and Gilmore, 1998), the purpose of this paper is to analyze 54 essays written by university students, to examine the experience of their visit to Batu Caves. The findings confirmed the application of all the four realm dimensions – entertainment, educational, esthetic and escapist – revealing both positive and negative aspects of the experience. Batu Caves may capitalize on the positive experiences as pointers to create an effective marketing communication, while negative experiences are opportunities to devise appropriate corrective measures, and perhaps further develop tourism products and services that would appeal to the visitors’ experience.

This study employed a qualitative research strategy to examine visitors’ experiences at Batu Caves using the four realms of experience theory as coined by Pine and Gilmore (1998). A total of 54 undergrads were asked to describe their visit to Batu Caves (Lucia-Palacios et al., 2016) providing a complete insight of their opinions, feelings and perceptions (Jüttner et al., 2013) using the essay writing method.

The authors discovered firm evidence of the theory’s application, revealing the expected four experiential dimensions in explaining experience at a cultural religious site, extending the description to include its positive and negative aspects, all of which are useful for destination management. The study points out a lot of aspects that must be managed by the site, such as the poor esthetic experience (e.g. smell, rubbish, graffiti, etc.), controlling the animal aggression (i.e. monkeys) and perhaps develop new products and services which could enhance some experiences (e.g. cultural escapism through cultural performances in which visitors could participate).

The main weakness of the research is perhaps the qualitative research work in which data were collected from essays written by the university students. Data of this nature prevent us from being able to generalize the findings and reflect on the experience to the general public.

Tourist stays in Kuala Lumpur could be enhanced by providing meaningful, deep and memorable experiences. Tourist attractions such as Batu Caves should continuously examine the experience that they provide to the visitors. Batu Caves’ management could continuously measure its tourists’ experience provisions, as tourists’ needs evolve over time. From the results they could revamp their products and services offering to ensure the sustainability of Batu Caves’ natural and cultural appeal among visitors and tourists alike.

The outcome provides a better understanding of the current tourism product and services at the destination that have an impact on a visitor’s experience. The findings will assist the Batu Caves’ management to revise and develop the products and service offerings to the visitors.

The online brand advocacy behaviors of omnichannel shoppers, who mainly rely on integrated brick-and-mortar stores (recognized as a vital channel for delivering a seamless shopping experience and meeting the dynamic needs of the shoppers), are still understudied. This study aims to investigate how integrated store service quality (ISSQ) may elicit both positive and negative emotions that contribute to a memorable omnichannel shopping experience and have an impact on shoppers' attachment to the store, leading to their exhibition of online brand advocacy behaviors (brand defense, brand positivity, brand knowledge sharing and virtual positive expression).

The study is a cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative investigation. The research participants were chosen using a purposive sampling technique. Using a validated self-administered questionnaire, data were gathered from 886 Indian omnichannel shoppers who often purchase at the integrated brick-and-mortar store. The proposed conceptual model was tested using Smart PLS software for partial least squares-structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that positive and negative emotions mediate the relationship between ISSQ and memorable omnichannel shopping experiences, subsequently impacting omnichannel shoppers' attachment to the store and leading to online brand advocacy behaviors. The relationship strength perceived by shoppers significantly positively moderated the relationship between store attachment and different online brand advocacy behaviors (brand defense, brand positivity, brand knowledge sharing and virtual positive expression).

The study relied upon single cross-sectional data from the Indian population, where omnichannel retailing is still nascent.

This study addresses the need to investigate the different emotions that arise while evaluating service quality in omnichannel retail purchase journeys leading to memorable shopping experiences. Emphasizing post-purchase behaviors like different online brand advocacy behaviors (brand defense, brand positivity, brand knowledge sharing and virtual positive expression), this study is the first to show that ISSQ might affect four different OBAs through memorable omnichannel shopping experience and the shopper's sense of attachment to the store. The moderating effect of relationship strength perceived by shoppers with the retailer on a few proposed hypotheses was also tested to give managerial recommendations.

The purpose of this study is to explore the hedonic experience and its formation at heritage attractions.

A qualitative and exploratory approach was applied, using data from 21 semi-structured interviews and three in-situ focus groups.

Findings highlight that senses, imagery and emotions are stimulated by the physical landscape and by triggers of memorable experiences.

To further explore this topic, a broader range of heritage attractions and perspectives from the diverse stakeholders involved in the management and consumption of these sites is needed.

Given the scarcity of research dedicated to the hedonic experience at heritage sites, this study provides a contribution by exploring the visitor’s perspective and points out relevant insights. As the hedonic feelings of pleasure, comfort and related affective responses impact the quality of memorable experiences, relevant implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the experience of visitors to UK markets by analysing their Tripadvisor reviews to identify perceived experiential dimensions with a view to informing actions by those responsible for market management to provide a better consumer experience.

This research analysed 41,071 Tripadvisor reviews of 61 UK markets. A latent Dirichlet allocation machine learning algorithm was conducted to identify the experience dimensions of visitors. A text analysis was performed to indicate salience and valence of commonly used words.

Five dimensions of experience are identified: atmosphere, merchandise, local variety, food and disappointment, together with the underlying factors that drive positive experience.

Place and market managers should assess and position their market informed by diverse experiential dimensions. They should also improve and enhance the experience of visitors according to the underlying factors of each dimension.

Retail markets have historically played an important role in the development of urban places. However, the ability to continue performing this role requires a greater understanding of how markets are perceived by those who use them. One way to achieve this is to use emergent technologies to inform decision-making by those responsible for their management. It demonstrates the potential of a new analytical technique using digital technologies to improve one of the oldest forms of retailing.

The paper aims to bring together Limassol’s rich wine culture with the contemporary facet of its developing infrastructure and superstructure as a means through which to promote this city as a tourist destination. Additionally, to identify how Limassol can be experienced in relation to the wine culture based on the experience economy model of Pine and Gilmore (1999) Limassol is a seaside city in Cyprus that has developed extensively over the past few years, with a new infrastructure and superstructure that attracts foreign investments. Additionally, the city has a rich wine history with a particular emphasis on “Commanadaria wine” that originates in the twelfth century and is directly linked with the Richard the Lionheart king of England and the Third Crusade.

The methodology used was qualitative research, and in particular semi-structured interviews with professionals involved in the tourism industry in Limassol. A particular method was used to understand the ways in which wine history and culture permeate and influence the contemporary way of life in Limassol as a tourist destination.

The main results of this study suggest that Limassol has the potential to become an important destination that fulfils the requirements of the experience economy as put forth by Pine and Gilmore (1999). However, the main hindrance is the lack of a constructive tourism policy exclusive on wine tourism that will give a stronger identity to Limassol.

This research is original in nature because it considers a novice geographical area, Limassol, in the academic field. Thus, it is set as the cornerstone for further investigation on wine and tourism in Limassol. The managerial implications of the study are related to the engagement in wine culture, and in providing a unique identity to the city that can be promoted internationally.