ABSTRACT
In present-day societies, experience orientation and changing consumer needs call for adjusting products and services to satisfy evolving market demands. Tourism markets are inherently international leading to an encounter of tourists and service providers from different cultures. In the global market place, the awareness of how culture influences customers’ experience is essential. By facilitating the emergence of meaningful and memorable experiences for culturally diverse customers, hospitality and tourism companies can create value for their customers. This chapter sets out to give some insights into the role of emotions in the customer experience as well as into culture’s influence on emotions. Suggestions for designing the service environment and the service encounter of hospitality companies to better meet the needs of the culturally diverse customers and thereby enabling positive experiences to emerge, are also made.
