Emotions and Tourism: A Multidimensional Approach to Experience Design

Emotions lie at the heart of the tourist experience.

They are what remain in the traveler’s memory — what drives them to share stories, return, and make recommendations.

Yet too often, emotions are treated superficially in the tourism industry: reduced to mere reactions, emotional clichés, or marketing tools, without a genuine understanding of their complexity.

This post offers a reflection on how psychological sciences can inform and enrich the design of tourism experiences.

Drawing on the study “Multidimensionality of Emotions in Tourism Studies. An Approach from Psychological Theories” (Moreno-Lobato, A., et. Al., 2021), we’ll explore why it’s time to move beyond reductive views of emotions and adopt a multidimensional approach grounded in solid theory.

The analyzed study provides a valuable starting point, which is here expanded through critical observations, practical examples, and original content developed specifically for experience designers.

Building on a critical reading of the cited theoretical models, I’ll propose actionable insights for destination managers, cultural institutions, and tourism professionals — along with key questions to guide future innovation.

1. Psychological Approaches to Understanding Emotions in Tourism

The paper “Multidimensionality of emotions in tourism studies” (Moreno-Lobato, A., et. Al., 2021) aims to bridge the gap between psychological theory and tourism studies, introducing six main psychological approaches to understanding emotions:

Approach	Description	Implications in Tourism
Dimensional Models	Emotions are mapped along two axes: valence (positive/negative) and arousal (high/low).	Helps classify tourism experiences based on emotional intensity and quality, useful for designing balanced itineraries.
Discrete Models	Identify basic universal emotions (joy, anger, fear, surprise, disgust, sadness).	Useful for creating highly evocative and symbolic experiences for diverse audiences.
Constructivist Theories	Emotions are not innate but culturally constructed through context, language, and social memory.	Requires sensitivity to the tourist’s cultural background to design emotionally resonant and respectful experiences.
Neuroscientific Approaches	Explore the brain-based and physiological responses to emotional stimuli.	Useful for measuring emotional impact through biometric tools (e.g., eye-tracking, EEG, wearables).
Cultural Psychology	Studies how different social groups encode, express, and interpret emotions.	Supports personalization based on symbolic grammars specific to each market.
Cognitive Theories	Emotions stem from subjective interpretations and comparisons to prior expectations.	Helps understand how narrative, expectations, and context shape the final perception of the experience.

These six approaches are not mutually exclusive but complementary. When integrated, they provide a solid theoretical basis for understanding emotional dynamics across the entire tourism journey—from inspiration to post-trip reflection. Interdisciplinarity thus becomes a key lever for innovation.

Below, I revisit and expand on the six psychological models cited in the study, highlighting their potential implications for experience designers in tourism.

1.1. Dimensional Models: Mapping the Emotional Landscape

According to dimensional models, emotions are distributed along two fundamental axes: valence (pleasant/unpleasant) and arousal (high/low intensity).

In these models, emotions are not seen as discrete categories, but as psychophysiological states that can be positioned within a continuous space.

Key authors:

James A. Russell, David Watson, Auke Tellegen, James Posner

Key works:

• Russell, J. A. (1980). A circumplex model of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(6), 1161–1178.
• Posner, J., Russell, J. A., & Peterson, B. S. (2005). The circumplex model of affect: An integrative approach to affective neuroscience, cognitive development, and psychopathology. Development and Psychopathology, 17(3), 715–734.

How they apply to tourism

Dimensional models help design balanced itineraries and experiences, alternating moments of high arousal (events, dynamic activities) with low arousal (relaxation, contemplation).

They also allow designers to anticipate emotional peaks to enhance memorability and satisfaction.

Limits or risks

• They may oversimplify the emotional experience, neglecting the qualitative, symbolic, and subjective content of emotion.
• These models are useful only when integrated with other models

Application ideas

• Create “emotional maps” for museum or urban itineraries.
• Use visual questionnaires (e.g., Russell’s circumplex) to evaluate emotional distribution after an experience.

1.2. Discrete Models: Evoking Core Human Emotions

In discrete models, basic emotions are universal, biologically determined, and recognizable across all cultures: joy, fear, anger, sadness, disgust, surprise. Each emotion has specific expressive, physiological, and behavioral signals.

Key authors:

Paul Ekman, Carroll Izard, Dacher Keltner, Alan S. Cowen, Robert Plutchik

Key works:

• Ekman, P. (1992). An argument for basic emotions. Cognition & Emotion, 6(3-4), 169–200.
• Keltner, D., & Cowen, A. S. (2019). What is the nature of emotion? A qualitative review. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 187–213.
• Plutchik, R. (1980). Emotion: Theory, Research, and Experience. Volume 1: Theories of Emotion. Academic Press.

How they apply to tourism

Discrete models are useful for creating symbolically powerful, cross-cultural moments that evoke strong and shareable reactions: for example, “controlled fear” in escape rooms, “awe” in immersive installations, or “joy” in community events.

Limits or risks

• They tend to stereotype emotions (e.g., “happiness at all costs”), ignoring subjective nuances or emotional ambivalence (e.g., nostalgia, melancholy, relief).

Application ideas

• Create “archetypal emotional moments” in visitor journeys (e.g., a scenic entrance = surprise, community interaction = joy, symbolic place = reverence).
• Use audiovisual storytelling to trigger universal emotions.

1.3. Constructivist Theories: Culturally Shaping Tourist Emotions

According to constructivist theories, emotions are not innate but culturally constructed through language, context, social relations, and collective memory. They are interpretive phenomena, not just biological ones.

Key authors:

Lisa Feldman Barrett, James Averill

Key works:

• Barrett, L. F. (2006). Are emotions natural kinds? Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(1), 28–58.
• Barrett, L. F. (2017). How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

How they apply to tourism

Constructivist theories highlight the importance of designing experiences that consider the cultural background of the tourist and how symbols, gestures, and narratives are interpreted.

The same gesture can elicit different emotions in different people.

Limits or risks

• This makes standardizing experiences difficult, as each visitor constructs different meanings.
• They may complicate measurement and design control.

Application ideas

• Adapt museum narratives for multicultural audiences, testing symbolic reactions.
• Use co-creation tools to build emotional experiences with visitors.

1.4. Neuroscientific Approaches: Measuring Emotional Impact

In neuroscientific approaches, emotions arise from specific brain circuits and measurable physiological responses: changes in heart rate, skin conductance, and neural activity.

Key authors:

Antonio Damasio, Joseph LeDoux, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang

Key works:

• Damasio, A. R. (1999). The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness.
• Immordino-Yang, M. H., & Damasio, A. (2007). We feel, therefore we learn: The relevance of affective and social neuroscience to education. Mind, Brain, and Education, 1(1), 3–10.

How they apply to tourism

Thanks to wearables and biometrics (eye-tracking, electroencephalogram, heart rate monitors), it’s possible to detect emotional responses in real time and improve experience design based on objective data.

Limits or risks

• Neuroscientific approaches present several limitations, including high costs, ethical concerns around privacy, and the risk of confusing physiological data with subjective emotional interpretations.

Application ideas

• Test emotionally intense moments of a museum exhibit using biometric technologies.
• Integrate wearables into experience paths to track engagement and personalize the journey.

1.5. Cultural Psychology: Tailoring Emotions for Diverse Audiences

According to cultural psychology, emotions are encoded, expressed, and interpreted differently depending on the culture.

Designing effective emotional experiences requires understanding the symbolic grammar of each group.

Key authors:

Richard A. Shweder, Hazel Markus, Batja Mesquita

Key works:

• Shweder, R. A. (1991). Thinking Through Cultures: Expeditions in Cultural Psychology.
• Mesquita, B. (2010). Emoting: A contextualized process. In M. Lewis, J. Haviland-Jones & L. F. Barrett (Eds.), Handbook of Emotions (3rd ed.).

How they apply to tourism

Cultural psychology is essential for tailoring experiences to different target markets (e.g., social emotions in Asia, individual emotions in North America).

It helps guide choices in themes, tone, rituals, and visual language.

Limits or risks

• There is a risk of cultural stereotyping or oversimplification.
• Designing culturally sensitive experiences requires deep expertise and continuous listening and testing.

Application ideas

• Develop localized storytelling for each cultural target.
• Translate not just the words but also the emotions in promotional materials.

1.6. Cognitive Theories: Managing Expectations and Perceptions

In cognitive theories, emotions result from subjective evaluation of an event: we compare what happens with what we expected, and that determines the emotional response.

Key authors:

Richard S. Lazarus, Klaus R. Scherer

Key works:

• Lazarus, R. S. (1991). Emotion and Adaptation.
• Scherer, K. R. (2009). The dynamic architecture of emotion: Evidence for the component process model. Cognition & Emotion, 23(7), 1307–1351.

How they apply to tourism

Cognitive theories help manage expectations, surprises, and disappointments: an experience is positive not for what it objectively is, but for how it is interpreted.

Narrative, anticipation cues, and context make a difference.

Limits or risks

• Cognitive responses are difficult to map in advance, as each person brings different expectations.
• This approach may also lead to an over-rationalization of emotional experiences, overlooking their spontaneity or symbolic depth.

Application ideas

• Design the pre-trip phase carefully (e.g., teaser narratives, emotional onboarding).
• Use feedback tools to identify and correct mismatches between expectations and experiences.

2. Bridging the Gap: Limitations in Current Tourism Emotion Studies

The authors highlight several limitations in current tourism studies:

• Reductionism: Emotions are often reduced to simplistic labels, ignoring their layered and dynamic nature.
• Lack of theoretical integration: Fragmented methods hinder comparison and generalization.
• Weak scientific anchoring: Many studies remain descriptive, lacking theoretical hypotheses or ties to psychological paradigms.
• Neglect of cultural context: Emotions are treated as universal, overlooking cultural differences.
• Limited interdisciplinary dialogue: There’s minimal engagement with cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and cultural semiotics.

These gaps call for a theoretical and methodological re-foundation in how emotions are studied in tourism.

3. Beyond the Basics: Expanding Our Understanding of Tourist Emotions

While acknowledging the value of the paper, which provides a solid introduction to the topic of emotions in tourism, it is possible to suggest some useful additions to further broaden the perspective:

• Limited theoretical overview: While the study provides a useful foundation, it focuses only on the principal psychological approaches to emotions. A more comprehensive reflection could include additional theories relevant to tourism, such as:
  • appraisal theories (Roseman, Scherer, Ellsworth),
  • models related to eudaimonic well-being,
  • collective and social emotions (emotional contagion, affective co-construction in groups),
  • the embodied cognition paradigm,
  • emotion regulation mechanisms (Gross),
  • theories of emotional memory (Kahneman, peak-end rule),
  • and the EASI model by Van Kleef, concerning the social use of emotions.
  • All of these strands could offer further tools to better understand and design tourism experiences with greater psychological depth.
• No practical examples: The work is theoretical and lacks case studies or operational tools.
• No technological integration: The role of emerging tools like wearables, AI, and AR is unexplored.
• Disconnect from design practice: There’s little connection with the actual process of experience design, where emotions are actively shaped.
• Limited predictive value: The potential of emotional models to anticipate behaviors or preferences is not addressed.

4. Actionable Strategies for Tourism Experience Designers

Experience designers in tourism should:

• See emotions as cognitively and culturally constructed—not automatic.
• Use multidimensional models to design experiences that intentionally elicit specific emotional states.
• Understand the emotional grammar of the target audience through semiotic, ethnographic, and participatory methods.
• Develop skills in observation and measurement, from empathy to biometric analysis.
• Embrace an ethical and sustainable approach to emotional design, fostering long-term, meaningful relationships between tourists and places.

5. Unlocking the Future: Key Questions for Emotion-Driven Tourism Innovation

• Do experience designers actually apply these psychological models, or do they still rely on intuitive, non-theorized approaches?
• How can we develop practical tools for emotion-driven design throughout the customer journey—especially during the travel phase?
• How can we map tourists’ emotions in real time, integrating qualitative, digital, and biometric data?
• How can emotions drive more sophisticated market segmentation—and conversely, how can niche segmentation inform more targeted emotional design?
• Can emotional data, combined with digital and sensory tracking, predict tourist behavior?
• How are emotions embedded in the tourist customer journey, and which touchpoints are most influential in generating memory, involvement, and meaning?
• What role do emotions play in loyalty, digital word-of-mouth, and destination brand reputation? Can they become measurable KPIs?

Conclusions

This post invites us to recognize emotions as complex, dynamic, and situated components of the tourism experience.

The multidimensional approach proposed by Moreno-Lobato A. et al. (2021) offers a solid theoretical foundation, but it calls for operational, empirical, and design-oriented extensions.

Integrating psychological sciences with experience design is a promising direction toward a more human, meaningful, and impactful form of tourism.

That’s why it’s essential to rely on professionals who can connect theory, research, and applied practice.

My advanced consulting operates in this space: I help destinations, institutions, and tourism operators turn emotions into a strategic asset—designing experiences that are authentic, distinctive, and deeply relevant for today’s and tomorrow’s visitors.

If you want to explore how emotional intelligence can become the heart of your tourism strategy, let’s talk. Real change starts with a meaningful conversation—one that builds impact and lasting connections.

Bibliography

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Images:

Andrea Rossi with Dall-E and Google Gemini