Attributes, theme, and value of a visit to Zhouzhuang, China

Abstract

This study examines how a memorable experience is created by many thematically linked destination attributes that come together to involve and create value for customers. Zhouzhuang, a popular Chinese water town, associated with the theme ‘escape to a simpler time’, was selected for this interpretive study to explore how this theme is evoked during the visit and which attributes are most strongly linked to it. Content analysis of 63 in-depth interviews indicates that tourists associated four main groups of attributes to their experiences in Zhouzhuang. In turn, each of these groups of attributes was linked to different types of customer value. This study contributes to the literature by being the first to explicitly relate thematically associated destination attributes to the types of value they create for customers.