Qualitative research into the effect of new attractions: ZMET The park of which the data for the qualitative research have been processed is situated in the Northern part of Europe and has a visitors number of more than one million (but less than four million) every year. As stated we investigated thoroughly the lowest and the highest scoring attraction. To do this we used the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique(1). This method is based on a number of assumptions: thought is image-based, most communication is non-verbal, metaphor is central to thought, emotion and reason are equally important and commingle in decision making, most thoughts, emotions and learning occur without awareness, mental models guide the selection and processing of stimuli, different mental models may interact (Zaltman, 1997). The most important assumption of ZMET is that metaphors can help to bring to the surface important, but subconscious thoughts and feelings of consumers. Since metaphors are so fundamentally present in our thoughts, they appear in different forms and on different moments in the research method. Deep metaphors can be the basis of dormant and necessary needs and can act as a source for our observations and behavioural tendencies. Deep metaphors are therefore the consumer’s most fundamental and important thoughts, thoughts which a manager should be able to understand (Zaltman, 2003). For more information about ZMET see also Zaltman & Coulter (1995), Zaltman (1996, 1997, 2000), Catchings-Castello (2000), Olson & Zaltman (2001), Christensen & Olson (2002).
Results of qualitative research
The results of the interviews paint at first a clear picture of the expectations respondents have towards the park in general. These expectations were not only expressed by the attractions, but also by means of pictures and stories about the staff, the catering and the landscaping. From that particular park mostly care and attention is expected(2). This is obvious by having an eye for detail, a clean park, friendly and tidy staff and for instance well kept nature – and walking paths. Naturally in that particular park it follows that one likes to feel a special and appreciated guest. All sorts of things are undertaken to give the guest an enchanting day out. There is no room for standardization in the park. That would only take away the enchantment and would ……..
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(1) ZMET is a patented method of OZA (USpatent No. 5.436.830. The author has been trained in this method by Altuïtion (The Netherlands).
(2) All results in this paragraph are (subjective) statements and interpretations from the respondents.
(3) The study also found two other deeper metaphors that are the driving forces of respondents’ behaviour towards the park. However, these two are not as tightly connected to the attractions as such as the metaphor of mothering and caring. That is why we don’t take them into this discussion.
