Chapter 2: A Design Thinking Approach for Experiential Tourism-based Entrepreneurship

‘Experiences emerged as the next step in what we call the progression of the economic value’ (Pine, 2014). Anything that stimulates the interest of the heart, intellect, and senses might be considered an experience (Meacci & Liberatore, 2018). Tourism is an experiential activity, not a pointless pursuit (Bender et al., 2021). Rather than seeking the traditional three S factors – sun, sand, and sea – or what is colloquially known as ‘sun-lust’, travellers are starting to seek for alternative attractions, like novel experiences when visiting tourist sites (Boyd, 2002). Experiential tourism is one area of tourism that need more research in the future (Dalimunthe & Taufik, 2021). This is because experiences are directly linked to the concept of special interest tourism, which is gaining popularity among tourists. The global experiential travel market is expected to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% between 2021 and 2030 (Industry Growth Insights, 2020). Nature tourism, nature-based tourism, resource-based tourism, adventure tourism, ecotourism, and heritage tourism have all been applied in the field of experiential tourism. Tourism transforms ordinary places into unforgettable destinations, creating memories that last a lifetime (Arora et al., 2024). Activities that enhance and enrich each traveller’s individual experience are among the many travel interests that are included in nature tourism. Despite the fact that each person has various travel interests, they are all motivated to widen their horizons. People want to engage with nature on their natural adventure, not just see it. Personal development, knowledge, enthusiasm, and participation are a few of the primary driving forces behind these travellers (Fermata Inc., 2004). The role of human senses in enhancing travel experiences requires specific research (Rahmani et al., 2018). More specifically, academic research needs to be used to conceive the assessment and design of the multisensory visitor experience (Meacci & Liberatore, 2018).