Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
destination and partaking in and enjoying various experiences while staying there (Sandström
et al
. 2008).
The paradigm shift, from the customer as a passive receiver to an active agent in creating
value, calls for a fundamental understanding of the customer's role in partaking in value
creation processes. Although S-D logic in marketing (Vargo and Lusch 2004, 2008) argues
for a customer-centric perspective, as opposed to a product-centric perspective, few studies
have empirically explored value creation processes from the customer's perspective. An
active patron needs knowledge and skills to partake in creating experience value. A journey
cannot be undertaken (consumed as a product) or enjoyed if the customer chooses to stay
at home, and tourists inevitably interact with numerous people, situations and places. Thus,
tourism is an excellent example in terms of exploring value creation as part of interaction
practices.
The level of perceived value depends to a great extent on the tourist's need and ability to
partake in the interactive creation process; this points to the importance of considering inter-
action practices before, during and even after the journey. Experience value is defi ned by
Prebensen
et al
. (2013a: 5) as '. . . comprised of the benefi ts the tourist perceives from a journey
and stay in a destination, including those assets or resources that the tourist, other tourists
and the host bring to the process of co-creating experiences'.
The present work adopts this defi -
nition and explores interaction processes from a value perspective, which is why and how cus-
tomers interact. Further, in line with Moiso and Arnould's (2005) research extending the
dramaturgical framework, this work employs the components of a drama, namely the structure,
interaction and content, in relation to tourist experiences. Then, the chapter sets out the process
of interaction - before, during and after the journey - and suggests possibilities for enhancing
value for the customer and the fi rm through facilitating, developing and staging the experience
drama. Furthermore, examples are outlined.
Interaction and value co-creation in tourism
Interaction is about contact and participation which may be of a direct or indirect nature. Direct
participation is when the individual is in immediate contact with another person or an object.
Indirect interaction is when the individual is in contact with a person or an object through
another party, such as a tour operator, or medium, such as the Internet. Bolton and Saxena-Iyer
(2009: 92) defi ne interactive services as 'services that have some form of customer-fi rm
interaction in an environment . . .'. A service experience is further delineated as comprising
four components (Fisk
et al
. 2013: 21):
1
the service worker;
2
the service setting;
3
the service customer; and
4
the service process.
In tourist consumption, the customer interacts with a host, often represented by the service
worker, in addition to other guests and physical elements within a fi rm or as part of a destination.
These interactions happen because they are valued or expected to provide future value (or
hinder events, thereby diminishing value) for the customer. The actors in the service encounter,
i.e. the participants in value creation, include all the individuals involved, whether customers
or workers (Booms and Bitner 1981). The environment includes all aspects that facilitate or
communicate the nature of the experience, before, during or after its performance. Subsequently,
