Corporate Museum Experiences in Enogastronomic Tourism

Over the last years, an evolution of museum function has occurred. Museums are no longer considered just a treasure house but a place that matches cultural and commercial needs. Recently, the literature sheds light on their relevance to customers' experiences. The chapter aims to explore a specific category of museums, highlighting their many functions. More specifically, the chapter analyses the relevance of corporate museums in the enogastronomic industry. Two Italian corporate museums in the pasta industry are explored, highlighting their relevance for visitor experience needs.

Evaluating the Use of Digital Cartography to Showcase the Intangible Heritage

New narratives are essential for ensuring the sustainability of tourist destinations and improving visitor experience. One key resource destination that can be drawn on is intangible heritage, which digital cartography can help visitors to interpret. The overall objective of this chapter is to analyze—from a multidisciplinary perspective—the opportunities digital cartography offers for the exploitation of literary heritage. The authors present an evaluation tool (validated by experts), whose aim is to analyze the different dimensions and elements that should be incorporated in digital maps. The intention is to enable the analysis of existing digital literary tourism maps and to encourage the future use of the many options offered by digital cartography in maps of this nature.

Unique Lassoing Scene from the Mastaba of Akhmerutnisut at Giza (G 2184)

This article analyzes a unique scene from the Giza mastaba of Akhmerutnisut (G 2184), which shows a life-size depiction of the tomb owner holding a rope, ready to throw a lasso. The active participation of the tomb owner in a lassoing scene is unique in the iconographic program of Fifth Dynasty elite tombs. The location of this scene within the mastaba is also unparalleled: it is the first scene on the right (west side) encountered by visitors as they enter the mastaba. To understand this innovative decorative choice, this paper starts by discussing the iconography of lassoing in the Old Kingdom and its meaning in the elite tombs of the same period. The second part of this paper analyzes Akhmerutnisut’s lassoing scene with an analytical framework drawn from visual and material culture studies and focusing on the concepts of monumentality, identity and agency. This study provides a number of possible explanations—none of which are mutually exclusive—to understand why Akhmerutnisut had himself depicted as a monumental lassoer by the entrance of his funerary complex, highlighting the importance of visitor experience and participation in the design of the funerary complexes of the Old Kingdom elite.

ANALYSIS OF VISITORS’ EXPERIENCES AT THE OLD MELBOURNE GAOL

Visitation to the dark past of history is growing where more tourist is confronting concepts of mortality. Still, it appears to have minimal research on dark tourist experiences in the context of prison museums, particularly the Old Melbourne Gaol. The aim of the research is to analyse visitors’ experiences and provide recommendation for improvement. The relevance of the research is understanding dark tourist experiences will give insight into how service offerings can be improved in prison museums. The researcher conducted a qualitative study using thematic analysis to understand visitor experiences better and provide recommendation for future visitation. Purposive sampling was used to explore mixed reviews from the widely used platform called TripAdvisor. One of the key findings is that most visitors are international tourists accompanied by family or friends visiting towards the end of the year, which means that service offerings should be geared towards this group. Furthermore, the overall visitor experience is positive, and emerging themes narrates the authenticity of carceral life, interactive experience and exciting reenactments at the Old Melbourne Goal. Lastly, the findings reveal the need to reconsider the role of customer service as it influences the overall satisfaction of visitors and strengthen substantial aspects of service offerings to increase visitation and enhance the visitor experience.

An Integrated System for Urban Parks Touring and Management

Urban parks are important recreational spaces of environmental interest for citizens and city visitors. Targeted and attractive promotion of these areas can help develop alternative forms of “green tourism” and increase environmental awareness among citizens, which is particularly important and vital for the future of the planet. New technologies are a key tool for improving the experience of touring urban parks, as they can make the tour much more attractive by highlighting interesting information about the flora and fauna of the park, as well as various other points of interest. This paper presents an integrated system based on augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and data analytics methodologies, comprising both mobile and web applications, focusing on urban parks touring and management, respectively. Through the mobile app for the park visitors, an attractive, interactive touring environment is created which highlights the environmental and historical interest of those areas. At the same time, the web applications for the park managers receive and analyze visitor data to help improve the visitor experience and the overall quality of the park. Finally, the developed integrated system is evaluated to ensure that it meets all user requirements and that its usability and functional components satisfy both groups of potential users, i.e., park visitors and park managers.

Seeing Things Differently: The use of mobile app interpretation and its effect on visitor experience at two heritage sites in Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>The practice of contemporary heritage interpretation has seen increased investment in digital technologies and more recently in mobile applications. However, few empirical studies assess how effective mobile apps are to the visitor experience of heritage sites. What kind of visitor experience do mobile apps provide? How do mobile apps deliver on the aims of interpretation for heritage sites? What types of apps work best? What are the challenges for developers and heritage professionals? A qualitative research approach is used to examine two case studies; High Street Stories: the life and times of Christchurch’s High Street Precinct and IPENZ Engineering Tours: Wellington Heritage Walking Tour. These case studies ask what kind of experience mobile apps offer as an interpretation tool at these heritage sites. To investigate the topic, email interviews were carried out with heritage professionals and digital developers; together with qualitative interviews with visitors recruited to visit the case study sites using the mobile applications. This study explores two current examples of mobile app technology in the heritage sector in a New Zealand context. The results of this study aim to augment current literature on the topic of digital interpretation. This study seeks to offer heritage managers and interpreters some key factors to consider when making decisions regarding the methods used to present and interpret heritage sites to visitors and in developing new interpretation and digital strategies that include mobile applications. Although each scenario presents its particular set of considerations and all heritage sites are different, it is hoped these recommendations can be applied and offer working models and strategies.</p>

Seeing Things Differently: The use of mobile app interpretation and its effect on visitor experience at two heritage sites in Aotearoa New Zealand

<p>The practice of contemporary heritage interpretation has seen increased investment in digital technologies and more recently in mobile applications. However, few empirical studies assess how effective mobile apps are to the visitor experience of heritage sites. What kind of visitor experience do mobile apps provide? How do mobile apps deliver on the aims of interpretation for heritage sites? What types of apps work best? What are the challenges for developers and heritage professionals? A qualitative research approach is used to examine two case studies; High Street Stories: the life and times of Christchurch’s High Street Precinct and IPENZ Engineering Tours: Wellington Heritage Walking Tour. These case studies ask what kind of experience mobile apps offer as an interpretation tool at these heritage sites. To investigate the topic, email interviews were carried out with heritage professionals and digital developers; together with qualitative interviews with visitors recruited to visit the case study sites using the mobile applications. This study explores two current examples of mobile app technology in the heritage sector in a New Zealand context. The results of this study aim to augment current literature on the topic of digital interpretation. This study seeks to offer heritage managers and interpreters some key factors to consider when making decisions regarding the methods used to present and interpret heritage sites to visitors and in developing new interpretation and digital strategies that include mobile applications. Although each scenario presents its particular set of considerations and all heritage sites are different, it is hoped these recommendations can be applied and offer working models and strategies.</p>

Aztecs at Our Place: Meaning-making in an international touring exhibition

<p>While it is claimed that international touring exhibitions are highly valuable in terms of promoting intercultural understanding, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. In particular, there is a lack of visitor research on the subject. “Aztecs at Our Place” addresses this current lack of knowledge by seeking to provide an insight into the impact of touring exhibitions on their audiences. It examines the ways visitors to the exhibition Aztecs: Conquest and glory built impressions and “made meaning” about an unfamiliar culture. The exhibition was on display at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) from 28 September 2013 to 9 February 2014. It was developed by Te Papa in partnership with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia in Mexico, and the Australian Museum and Museum Victoria. From Te Papa, the exhibition travelled to Melbourne Museum and then the Australian Museum in Sydney. This dissertation studies the visitor experience at Te Papa only but forms part of a broader study which examines two exhibitions across several international venues. “Aztecs at Our Place” draws on recent theoretical and methodological developments in the field of visitor studies including visitor meaning-making, narrative-based methods and long-term visitor insights. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, centering on narrative-based interviews with twenty-three visitors to the exhibition. Follow-up interviews were conducted with eleven of the original participants in order to determine visitors’ lasting impressions of the exhibition. The findings reveal how participants’ impressions of Aztec culture were informed by different aspects of the exhibition. Information and objects relating to everyday life were essential for creating a broader, more sympathetic understanding of Aztec culture beyond human sacrifice. The research also demonstrates that cultural comparisons, objects and emotions including empathy helped participants gain an appreciation for the Aztec way of life, in conjunction with aspects of participants’ identity. The findings shed new light on the way visitors “connect” to another culture through experiencing an international touring exhibition. Considering that cultural diplomacy is reportedly growing in importance, this research has implications for museum professionals seeking to promote intercultural understanding through an exhibition.</p>

From Cycleway to Urbanism: Planning for Coastal Cycleway

<p>A strategic use of cycling to create liveable and healthier cities is increasingly common in cities across the globe and among forward-thinking urban designers, policy makers or political entities who often improve bicycle infrastructure and install bicycle supporting policies to augment urban cycling (Pucher & Buehler 2012). Yet, cycling can do more than improving urban mobility and health. As pedal-powered vehicles are also means for cultural and artistic expression, subcultural social interaction (Fincham 2007), economic opportunity and urban servicing (Lorenz & Bufton 2011) which is reflected in geographically distinct bicycle cultures (Pelzer 2010). There is an increasing focus on cycle planning by local and regional governments throughout New Zealand. However there is a tendency to design cycle route in isolation, not approaching it as an urbanistic issue. In August 2014, Prime Minister John Key has announced $100 million in new funding that will be made available over the next four years to accelerate cycleways in urban centres. There is strong growth in cycling trails internationally, and in New Zealand there is also strong demand for family based cycling activities and products. Should more cycleways be provided and improved, and if so, how should they be planned? My project will attempt to go beyond the set aims to create more urbanistic approach to cycleway. This research draws upon an idea of the Great Harbour Way (GHW) - Te Aranui o Poneke, initiated by group of walkers and cyclists being a concept to develop and market a 75km shared pedestrian and cycle path around the shoreline of Wellington Harbour. The project aims to promote a walkway and cycleway as an enjoyable and convenient form of travelling around the harbour of Wellington, New Zealand. However, the way it has been conceived, the GHW undermines its possibilities. Our cycling infrastructure needs to evolve not only from transport or engineering perspective but also with architecture perspective to respond to those changing demands on the issues of cycleway planning. This aim of this study is to provide a greater ambition towards GHW by planning orientated research which could increase the numbers, activity of and engagement of cyclists with a particular focus on the Great Harbour Way cycle route. Firstly, the thesis briefly goes over the current status of cycling, addressing the increasing popularity and role of utilitarian cycling in Wellington. Secondly, the study will review and discusses previous cycling planning theories and discuss different models of cycle route planning. In this part, it will also take the project of New Plymouth Coastal Walkway, and Norwegian National Tourist Routes as a case study, discussing the planning strategy of how to implement cycling in our city. The case studies show that the entire visitor experience is important, not just the cycling aspect. This is particularly true for those markets whose primary motivation is not cycling. Accommodation, services, information, scenic values and other activities combine to make the experience more appealing to a broader range of visitors. Thirdly, the thesis proposes a cycling supportive architectural interventions at three different sites and scales to catalyse the GHW project. Last part of the study tried to resolves the complex access problems of the site through integrated planning/landscape architecture thereby creating a usable, functional and adaptable plan for the Wellington to Petone link. Conclusions of the design proposals and future suggestions are included in the last chapter.</p>