ABSTRACT
The overall aim of this chapter is to explore how themed experiences can facilitate sustainability in themed tourism experiences. Using insights from in-depth semi-structured interviews with eight business leaders or developers with expertise and experience in themed entertainment and attractions, it addresses a need for research on theming, themed environments, and sustainability and how sustainable practices within themed environments contribute to destination sustainability. The findings reveal that theming can, to some extent, facilitate sustainability in themed tourism experiences depending on guests’ sustainability expectations and social sustainability. Theming and sustainable experience dimensions mostly interconnect through interaction with the cultural environment. The findings imply that theme parks and attractions can contribute to destinations’ environmental and social sustainability, and that sustainability is an additional guiding principle for how themed environments can be designed and managed to meet sustainability goals. One practical application of the present results suggests that if companies that deliver themed experiences use their bargaining power as customers, they may help facilitate a sustainable impression of the themed environment through the choice of colours, material use, shape, etc.
