Development Centre

Article emotion survey results

In early December 2018, research was conducted at the Van Gogh Village Museum in Nuenen on the effect of storytelling on visitor experience. The results are briefly summarized below. A more comprehensive report has been published in the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research.

The results of the study will be incorporated into planning for the renewed experiences of the Van Gogh heritage sites.

Importance of emotions for perception

Emotions are an important element within tourism 'experiences' (perceptions/experiences). They can lead to certain outcomes, such as, for example, the intention to 'recommend' the visit or activity to others (family, friends). However, existing research models cannot explain how the flux ('ebb and flow' movement) of emotions during an 'experience' relates to such outcomes.

Examination via skin conductance

We analyzed the "experiences" of 15 participants during their visit to the Van Gogh Village Museum in Nuenen and during a guided tour of the village. Both the museum and the tour had Vincent van Gogh as their theme. We mapped the emotions of the participants over a longer period of time by measuring them directly on the body with so-called skin conductance measuring equipment.

Building up intensity

We found wide variation in the intensity of the emotions measured throughout the visit ('ebb and flow'), as well as variation in the extent to which participants thought they would experience the activity to others. The 'experiences' that led to the strongest intention to recommend the 'experience' to others were found to consist not of a constant peak of strong emotions, but of both strong and not so strong emotions, with the stronger emotions occurring mostly somewhere halfway through the 'experience'.

Variation and complexity

Our conclusion is that models to investigate tourist 'experiences' should take into account the variation in intensity of emotions (over a longer period of time) and also the complex relationship between emotions and outcomes such as wanting to recommend the 'experience' to others. In short, strong emotions are not always necessarily better.

Historical objects

A practical finding from the study was that within the Vincentre, the historical objects made the most emotional impression. During the tour, emotions at the post office proved particularly strong and, moreover, strongly related to the extent to which participants would recommend the "experience. At the post office it was told that Vincent sent letters to his brother Theo from here.

Positive

Participants referred afterwards to a sense of hope they got here regarding the relationship between Vincent and Theo. This is a feeling they did not get from the sad stories about Vincent's failed relationships. A practical recommendation, therefore, is to highlight especially positive aspects of Vincent's multifaceted and turbulent life.

Van Gogh Development Centre

Van Gogh Brabant and the Centre of Expertise Leisure Tourism & Hospitality (CELTH) are going to invest together in the Van Gogh Development Centre, which will develop and implement innovative cultural tourism applications around Van Gogh in Brabant. CELTH, with the three Universities of Applied Sciences NHTV, HZ and Stenden, will act as a sparring partner, knowledge supplier and developer for Van Gogh Sites Foundation on topics such as storytelling, concept development and management and exploitation issues of the Van Gogh Monuments.

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