Experience Analysis - Husky safari in Vuokatti Erose Sthapit erose_sthapit@hotmail.

com

Background

Research in tourism has explored the experiential perspective in these industries and shown that experiential factors comprise a substantial portion of consumer satisfaction with services (see Otto & Ritchie 1996; Wakefield & Blodgett 1994; Pine & Gilmore 1999). The consumption of services can be driven by many different motives (Brunner-Sperdin & Peters 2009); however, tourists usually consume services to stimulate emotions (Otto & Ritchie 1996; Holbrook & Hirschman 1982). In fact, tourists by their very nature consume and experience at all times during their journey (see Mossberg 2007). Tourism Experience (TE) is the core matter of modern tourism (see Aho 2001). In todays world, businesses no longer only provide the consumer with products or services which are consumed; they often try to facilitate meaningful and engaging experiences (see Richards 2001; Pine & Gilmore 1999).

Pine and Gilmore (1999) offered four types of consumer experience: educational, esthetic, entertainment, and escapist that they termed the "4Es." The 4Es vary in terms of active-passive involvement and absorption-immersion dimensions that intersect to produce quadrants. Active-passive involvement entails the level of participation by consumers in creation of the experience-generating offering. Those who passively participate do not directly affect or influence the offering, whereas active participants directly affect the offering that yields the experience. Absorption is "occupying a person's attention by bringing the experience into the mind" and immersion is "becoming physically (or virtually) a part of the experience itself" (Pine & Gilmore 1999, p. 31).

Engaging Experience - Husky safari in Vuokatti

One of the engaging experiences that I recall is a trip to Vuokatti Husky Centre. During my first year studies in Finland, an announcement was made to tourism degree students about a half-day trip to Vuokatti Husky Centre. The price was 100 Euros per student. The university paid half of the price. The trip included bus transfer from the university to Vuokatti Husky Centre and back, introduction to the Husky Centre, overalls, mittens and shoes, driving and safety instructions, husky dog sledding 6 km (two persons per sledge: one is driving and another is sitting in a sledge) including light refreshment and lunch buffet.

Reflecting on Ahos (2001) seven stages of experience processes, my immediate reaction or the emotional experience that the announcement provoke in me was excitement and a wow feeling. The pre-experience generated a great degree of interest because it was my first year in Finland and husky safari is uncommon in Nepal (orientation). The feeling of excitement to encounter the Finnish winter wilderness and huskies strengthened my interest and resulted in the Go-Decision (attachment). Personal resources (see Aho 2001)

had to be taken into account, particularly time and money for receiving the experiential offering. Time was suitable. I had completed all my courses for the semester and was waiting for the start of winter holidays. As the school paid half of the price, it was a good deal. Another important resource - attitude played a significant role in accepting or rejecting the offering. I felt that a positive attitude was essential as everything was new. In terms of other resources, I had no previous experience of such activity (knowledge) while skills and networks didnt seem important.

During the actual visit, 10 participants including me visited the Vuokatti Husky Centre by bus. On arrival, I among others was given a short introduction of the centre and other details, followed by tea/coffee and light snacks. We were given overalls, mittens and shoes, and then went to see the huskies. The encounter with the huskies was thrilling as I had never seen and cuddled one before. Shortly, driving and safety instructions were demonstrated. There were two persons per sledge, total 5 where one is driving and another is sitting. 5 participants including me drove 6 km into the wilderness and then sat in the sledge while the other 5 were driving back.

My physical experience was intensified by the feeling of comfort and safety (premises), Finnish winter wilderness and well decorated wooden interiors of the husky centre (sceneries both natural and manmade) and the souvenirs made of wood (goods and objects). The peak experience, the point where I felt ecstatic, was while driving the sledge. The feeling of joy made me immerse in the event and become physically a part of the experience. I believe active participation and positive attitude in accepting the experiential offering heightening my experience. During the course of the trip, I had generated a good mental impression of people staging experiences in nature. The social element or shared enjoyment also contributed to my experience as I was chatting and enjoying the ride with my friend in the same sledge. After the safari there was lunch buffet. One of the surprising parts of the trip was the souvenir; a wooden cup given to all participants by the company (visiting).

According to Pine & Gilmore (1999) including all four types of experiences (4Es) is optimal. For me the trip was an educational and escapist experience. Educational experience, as I had to actively engage by my mind and body. Special attention was to be paid to the distance between each sledge, vocal tone in directing the huskies and the movement of hands and legs to gain control of the sledge. It was also an escapist experience in the sense that I was completely immersed in the Finnish winter wilderness and was actively involved as a participant. Escapist experiences involve much greater immersion than educational in which guests participate in an immerse environment (theme parks, casinos, virtual reality headsets, chat rooms or game of paintball) with active participation. Guests participating in escapist experiences do not just embark but also voyage to some specific place and activity worthy of their time (Pine & Gilmore 1999). In my case, I was embarking from my daily routine of academic life and voyaging to the Finnish winter wilderness with huskies in a sledge.

In addition, I believe that the human senses play a significant role in shaping the tourist experience. It is multi-sensory (Dann & Jacobsen 2002; Franklin 2001; Pan & Ryan 2006). The trip contained a strong sensorial component and provoked aesthetical pleasure, excitement and satisfaction. The trip is memorable as it engaged all my senses, for instance, Finnish winter wilderness (visual), yowling of huskies (sound), sausage (taste), hot coffee (smell) and patting and cuddling the huskies (touch). The trip exceeded my expectations (evaluation). The photos and the souvenir from the trip made my memories of the trip even more concrete (storing). During the following week a meeting was organized for seeing the pictures and reflecting the events during the visit. It was based on the stored materials. I also shared my experiences with close friends to cherish the memories as well as told them to go for a husky safari (reflection and enrichment). Lastly, I conclude that different factors made the trip memorable for me.

References Aho, S.K. (2001). Towards a general theory of touristic experiences: Modelling experience process in tourism. Tourism Review 56 (3/4), pp.33-37 Brunner-Sperdin, A. & Peters, M. (2009). What influences guests' emotions? The case of high-quality hotels. International Journal of Tourism Research 11(2), pp.171-183 Dann, G. & Jacobsen, S. (2003). Tourism smellscape. Tourism Geographies 5(1), pp. 3-25 Franklin, A. (2001). The Tourist Gaze and Beyond. An Interview with John Urry. Tourist Studies 1(2), pp. 11531 Holbrook, M. B. & E. C. Hirschman. (1982). The Experiential Aspects of Consumption: Consumer Fantasies, Feelings, and Fun. Journal of Consumer Research 9(2), pp. 132 Mossberg, L. (2007). A Marketing Approach to the Tourist Experience. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 7(1), pp. 59-74 Otto, J.E. & Brent Ritchie, J.R. (1996). The service experience in tourism. Tourism Management 17(3), pp. 165-174 Pan, S. & Ryan, C. (2009). Tourism sense-making: the role of the senses and travel journalism. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 26(7), pp. 625-639 Pine, B.J. & Gilmore, J. (1999). Experience Economy: Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage. Harvard Business School Press, Boston Richards, G. (2001). The experience industry and the creation of attractions. Cultural attractions and European tourism, pp. 55-69