Value Creation of a Business Customer in Nature-based Tourism Service

Abstract

In this paper we describe the kinds of value that were created within the field of nature-based tourism service from the perspective of a host in a role of a business customer. The qualitative research was conducted by using the laddering technique based on a means- end chain model of 40 theme interviews. The findings indicated that the customer’s value created in nature-based tourism includes the following: “feeling of impressiveness”; “feeling of indulging oneself, pleasure, and joy”; “feeling of beauty of nature”; “feeling of healthiness”; and “feeling of hospitality”. Based on the findings, only an individual can experience and create value requiring personal evaluation. Customer value is created in the context of interactive situations, both from short-term experiences and from long-term memories and emotions linked to previous memories. The main theoretical contribution is to understand the theoretical concept of customer value, where the customer’s life and previous experiences have a role in individual value creation. Other participants also have a role in one’s value creation, and value is shared in an interactive process. The practical contribution helps a nature-based tourism entrepreneur develop the service and a value proposition as well as to support the customer’s value creation process.