Experiential Marketing: A Phenomenon in Enhancing Tourism through Personal, Recreational and Environmental Experiences Via Customer Satisfaction

Experiential marketing is a tool for the present century marketing needs. An understanding about what needs to be incorporated in the successful implementation of this tool in tourism is done in this study. This study aims to reveal the effects of customer satisfaction from the tourism perspective. The satisfaction of tourists were measured using the strategic modules (sense, feel, think, act and relate) of Bernd Schmitt in experiential marketing. For this purpose, an instrument was developed and a survey was conducted among tourists. This study involved a survey method using five point Likert scale questionnaire. The study was conducted at the Chennai Airport among the Indian and Sri Lankan tourists. Based on the data collected a structural equation model was developed to study the relationship between personal, recreational and environmental experiences with customer satisfaction, leading to the enhancement of tourism business. The level of customer satisfaction brought out through the strategic modules in tourism perspective is brought out in this study.