Crowding's Impact on Tourist Experience in Diverse Destinations

Hankins, Nicole; Pawar, Akshaya; Zatori, Anita

A comparative study of Las Vegas and the Great Smoky Mountains. ABSTRACT: Overcrowding has been an increasing issue within many tourist destinations, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting increased research interest in this area. However, there is a limited amount of research investigating the effect of overcrowding on the tourist experience, especially in the context of destinations of various characters. The study focuses on two distinct destinations: Las Vegas, known as a city-like tourist hotspot, and the Great Smoky Mountains, a nature-based leisure destination dealing with issues of crowding. The aim is to explore how overcrowding influences the formation of tourist experiences in destinations with distinct characters. Additionally, the study explores the assumed moderating role of the destination character on the impact of overcrowding. An online survey targeting visitors of the two studied destinations is employed for data collection. The findings of the study uncover several new aspects within the relationship dynamics of destination character, level of overcrowding, crowd tolerance and the impact of overcrowding on visitor experience. The chapter offers valuable insights for destination management organisations, policymakers and industry professionals, aiding in the development of effective strategies to mitigate the negative effects of overcrowding and enhance the overall tourist experience.