Impact of Photography on Customer Experience in Adventure Travel Services : Elements of Memorable Experiences

Abstract

This thesis explores the role that photography plays in enhancing customer experiences in adventure travel services, how memorable experiences are formed and whether photography adds value to tour experiences. The paper discusses existing theoretical framework, including the formation of memorable experiences (MEs), experience design, connection between photographs and memory and agency in photographic experiences, together with data from commissioner’s guests. Data was collected via online questionnaire during winter season 2024-2025. Guests who participated in at least one photography tour with the commissioner were invited to participate in the questionnaire.

The thesis was commissioned by Beyond Arctic, a small-group and photography focused adventure tour operator in Rovaniemi and Levi, Finland. The commissioner’s aim was to gain insight into the factors that influence their guests’ purchase decisions and whether their photography services add value to their guests’ tour experiences. Results indicate that photography plays a considerable role in enhancing tour experiences by increasing guests’ sense of immersion, providing tangible memories that help recall the experiences and providing added value. While typical factors such as reviews and tour content remain important, photographs appeared as a notable factor in choosing the tour and tour operator.

The responses to receiving photographs from tour experiences show how a photography service can enhance immersion in the experience by enhancing engagement with the activity itself. A photography service provides added value to guests and enhances the existing value of the tour, highlighting the importance of the photographs as memories that allow time-travel back to the experience. When embedded into service design, photography can enhance engagement, mindfulness, immersion, memory and satisfaction.