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Browsing by Author "Martins, Rafaela Sofia Cabrita Catarina"

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  • Exploring emotions in tourists´ experiences based on cognitive appraisal theory insights from Algarve, Portugal
    Publication . Martins, Rafaela Sofia Cabrita Catarina; Guerreiro, Manuela; Sequeira, Bernardete
    Current literature on emotions in the tourism and marketing fields focuses on assessing how to identify, understand, design methods to measure and define emotions within the post-consumption experience. Recent tourism studies have understood the importance of emotions in designing better touristic experiences. They have succeeded in identifying ways to discriminate the best methods to measure emotions in broader senses but failing to identify specific and discrete emotions and their existent reasons while directly involving the individual to understand the underlying emotional reasons within Tourism Destinations. This study employs the S-O-R paradigm to comprehend tourists’ emotions in a tourism experience context and the Cognitive appraisal approach since emotions are viewed as mental states arising from subjective evaluations. In doing so, this research aims, specifically, to (1) identify the emotions spontaneously elicited by tourists about their experiences in the Algarve destination; (2) explore possible linkages between sensory stimuli and emotions, and (3) explore possible linkages between emotions and behaviour regarding destination recommendations. A sample of tourists sectioned into two touristic seasons (high and low) was interviewed within the project TurExperience (SAICT-ALG/39588/2018). Based on Del-Bosque and San Martín (2008) and Richins (1997), 16 emotional states were regressed alongside drivers and behavioural outcomes identified with significant co-occurrences, suggesting an association between the elicited emotions and sensory stimuli, namely regarding the vision, taste, and smelling senses. And secondly, the elicited emotions and loyalty behaviours, namely regarding tourists’ loyalty behaviours on destination recommendation. Adopting a qualitative approach, by using semi-structured interviews with tourists visiting the Algarve, an illustrious and reputable destination in the south of Portugal, findings suggest that emotional states vary under the influence of certain circumstances, namely when people experience emotional states like Happiness, tranquility, calmness, sadness, discomfort, Saudade or even nostalgia. These outcomes have huge practical implications on the tourism experience design, destination marketing, positioning, and branding. As well as for theoretical implications providing further understanding on emotions spontaneous elicitation and underlying emotional reasons in the context of a tourism destination. This paper is financed by National Funds provided by FCT- Foundation for Science and Technology through project UIDB/04020/2020.
    2023-06-26Master thesis Open access Show more