Atmospheric experiences that emotionally touch customers A case study from a winter park Terje Sla ˚tten and Mehmet Mehmetoglu Lillehammer University College, Lillehammer, Norway, and Go ¨ran Svensson and Sander Sværi Oslo School of Management, Oslo, Norway Abstract Purpose – This study aims to focus on what types of atmospheric experiences emotionally touch visitors at a winter park. The objective is to describe and explain the relationship between: three atmospheric constructs (ambience, interaction, and design); the construct of joy; and the construct of customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach – The research data are based on a study of customers visiting a Norwegian winter park, in which 162 visitors participated in the survey. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the measurements and structural properties between atmospheric experiences, joy, and loyalty to winter parks. Findings – The findings reveal that two out of the three constructs of atmospheric experiences are linked to customers’ feelings of joy, namely, design and interaction. The atmospheric construct of design had the strongest impact on customers’ emotions. Furthermore, the study finds that customers’ feelings of joy are highly related to the construct of customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications – The study limits its focus to one type of hedonic service, namely customers visiting a winter park. Although the results from the study offer implications for other winter parks, there is a need for further research in other hedonic services to verify their validity, reliability, and generality. Practical implications – The study emphasizes how important it is that managers of hedonic services consider the significance of the atmospheric construct of design in such a way that it contributes positively to customers’ experiences of the service setting. In particular, managers should focus on design in relation to customers’ experiences in order to evoke feelings of joy. Originality/value – The study establishes the need to manage customers’ atmospheric experiences in winter parks. It also links atmospheric constructs to customers’ emotions. Keywords Customers, Perception, Theme parks, Norway Paper type Research paper Introduction Hedonic services, such as tourism, are good examples of experiences that are able to evoke customers’ emotions (e.g. Barsky and Nash, 2002; Otto and Ritchie, 1996; Ryan, 1999). Otto and Ritchie (1996, p. 168) emphasize the inherent emotional component in tourist services, stating that: “Perhaps more than any other service industry, tourism holds the potential to elicit strong emotional and experiential reactions by consumers”. The nature of these experiences is critical for the tourist industry, because intangible experiences are the core of their product or service (Yuan and Wu, 2008). Furthermore, the intimate, hands-on nature of the service encounter and elements of the physical The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0960-4529.htm Experiences that touch customers 721 Managing Service Quality Vol. 19 No. 6, 2009 pp. 721-746 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0960-4529 DOI 10.1108/09604520911005099