Abstract
The rise of experience economy has altered our basic physical and psychological needs and expectations from the urban environment. The difference of experience economy from other economies can simply be explained by referring to the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs pyramid where the experience economy is equivalent to the level of self-awareness and realization, which is the top of the layers above the physical needs in the hierarchy of needs. Tourism appears as one of the sectors in which the characteristics of the experience economy are strongly reflected. In this paper, we investigate how the characteristics and travel expectations of different generations has evolved within the context of experience economy. Regarding the prominent tourism trends, the concepts based on environmental, economic and social sustainability, built on not harming the ecological balance, and aiming to transform people and make them experience a different inner journey become significant. These new concepts as new trends deliver more experience-based and creative activities compared to mass tourism, and that refer to new practices by reducing their carbon footprint. The paper draws conclusions from the meta-review of the literature that underlines the fact that experience is becoming increasingly important for all groups, but is becoming more transformative, especially in generations Y and Z.
Presenters
Onur MengiAssociate Professor, Vice Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, Deptartment of Industrial Design, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey Asli Oner
Associate Professor, Architecture, Izmir University of Economics, Turkey
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Changing Dimensions of Contemporary Tourism
KEYWORDS
Experience Economy; Sustainable Development; Sustainable Tourism; Transformative Tourism; Gen Z
