The business of D-Day: an exploratory study of consumer behaviour

Economic pressures on heritage tourism can undermine the perceived quality and sacredness of historically significant sites, leading to their commodification. This study identifies key determinants of visitor experience quality at Normandy's D-Day landing sites—including historical significance, gravitas, ambience, exhibit authenticity, and respect in display—which offer a framework for 'experience engineering' to mitigate this inverse relationship between economic imperatives and perceived value. The research employed qualitative methods, analyzing visitor interactions at five academic-led sites using consumer behavior models (Holt’s metaphors of consumption and the sacred/profane dichotomy) alongside concepts of authenticity and verisimilitude from MacCannell.

MacCarthy, M., & Willson, G. (2015). The business of D-Day: an exploratory study of consumer behaviour. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 21(7), 698–715. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2014.1001423