The outcomes of this research aim to serve both, academia and professionals and uses a particular case study The Place Tainan. This is a new design hotel recently opened in a gentrified area of a historical touristic city of Taiwan. Authenticity has been identified as a source of satisfaction in tourism experiences, and east versus west cultural difference theories lead to suggest that different communication strategies may need to be observed when targeting different markets.

The study begins with a review of authenticity and hyper-reality literature, where the theorised hyper-real is pragmatically described through the hotel’s value proposition and design, and ‘to experience authenticity’ is tourists’ desired outcome. Two studies build on the growing demand for localised hospitality services observed across the world: the main study reviews enhancing ‘The Place Tainan’ audience experience through communications, a second study explores whether guest from the east or the west could exert touring Tainan preferences, different from one another. Sampling represents an overarching westerner versus easterner approach. Findings point at no apparent significant cultural differences (analytic versus holistic) in: expressed favourability, intentions, touring experience preferences, experienced authenticity or aesthetics.

Experienced authenticity through media is related to positive opinion towards the hotel, although seems unable to trigger behaviour recommendations. This empirical study points at aesthetics as a decisive tool when eliciting authenticity. Theme based communications are able to elicit both perceived aesthetics and authenticity.

Further data analysis proves that aesthetics are able to trigger both positive opinion and behaviour, and suggest that consuming the authentic becomes a purposive purchase where physiological distance and goal construal theories are a better theoretical explanatory tool. Recommendations on branding communications and experience design are discussed in the last chapter, in line with strategies used by the postmodern tourist, when projecting the ‘real self’ through consumption: placement, motivational reasoning, reduction and projection strategies.

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