Framing the visitor experience in sacred places

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the dimensional structure of visitor experience in a sacred place based on the framing process.Design/methodology/approachMix-method research was conducted in Turkey–Virgin Mary House which featured a sacred and popular tourist destination. Qualitative research, including interviews and expert panels, was used to create a set of knowledge for further analysis. Quantitative research, including two field studies comprising 842 participants, was used to validate the framing of visitor experiences in a sacred place providing reliability and construct validity.FindingsThe six dimensions were found within three framing axes of religious, environmental and organizational: inner experience; religious experience; physical environment; history; tour organization and service experience.Originality/valueCurrent studies on visitor experience in a sacred place have mainly focused on emotions, motivations or physical dimensions. By synthesising the framing process and theoretical approaches, this study contributes to the literature by analysing the unique characteristics of visitors' experiences in sacred places, regardless of their religious identities.