Generating and sustaining value through guided tour experiences’ co-creation at heritage visitor attractions

Experience co-creation has been acknowledged as an important process to generate and sustain value. However, research in the arena of heritage visitor attractions remains limited. A qualitative cross-sectional design was used to assess UK heritage attractions providers’ engagement with guided tour experiences’ cocreation and the barriers faced in the adoption of this process. Findings from 11 interviews with visitor experience managers show most of the heritage attraction providers engage in processes of guided tour experience “co-production” rather than “co-creation”. Barriers include limited knowledge, and “knowhow”
of value co-creation processes; financial, time, and human resource constraints. Importantly, findings show visitors’ satisfaction with current arrangements influence the type of tour offering. This study reveals the need to further investigate heritage audiences’ variations in preferences and suggests better sector integration in terms of knowledge sharing and best practice to fully explore the benefits and worth of value cocreation in this tourism sector.