Meanings and Consumption Characteristics of Places at a Tourism Destination

A tourism destination can be viewed as an amalgamation of places generating experiences. From a cultural perspective, places serve as storehouses of meanings that capture value in use and frame expectations for experiences. This article explores how community residents define a broad range of places shared with tourists at an alpine destination. The 19 places under investigation included attractions, dining and lodging establishments, retail offerings, transportation settings, and support services. The places were monitored in terms of their normative meanings using hedonic, utilitarian, novelty, and social variables. In addition, three consumption characteristics provided information on the nature of the experiences at the places. Conclusions are drawn as to the nature of each place and the array of experiences provided by the destination.