TECHNOLOGY ENHANCED TOURIST EXPERIENCE: INSIGHTS FROM TOURISM COMPANIES IN ROVANIEMI
Nguyen Le, Tuong Vi (2014)
Avaa tiedosto
Lataukset:
Nguyen Le, Tuong Vi
Lapin ammattikorkeakoulu
2014
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2014120919088
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2014120919088
Tiivistelmä
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been transforming the tourist experience drastically and given birth to the so-called technology enhanced tourist experience where cutting-edged ICTs can enhance the tourist experience throughout the entire travel process. Technology can be considered the key instrument for the enhancement of the tourist experience since it facilitates and empowers the co-creation between the tourist and the service provider in order to generate added values for them. The main aim of this thesis project was to consider how some micro and small tourism companies in Rovaniemi practice and perceive technology enhanced tourist experience through their websites and related online sources. The purpose was to support the thesis’s commissioner by providing an overview in terms of the practice and perception of the tourism business in Rovaniemi concerning the topic of technology enhanced tourist experience.
A rich literature review was generated to provide a firm background for the empirical research. The main themes of cutting-edge ICTs utilized to enhance the experience for tourists were drawn from the related academic theory. The main data sources were the websites and related online sources of the participating companies and one in-depth interview. The method of qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data.
The study found that almost all the companies studied practice and have good perception regarding the themes of interactive website, social networking site, review site and video. The theme of online reservation is limitedly practiced and perceived by most of the companies. The theme of cross-platform website, weblog, games and gamification as well as other technologies are practiced and perceived only by one or two of the companies studied. The theme of virtual travel community, mobile application, virtual reality and augmented reality as well as recommender system are not practiced by any of the companies studied. Besides, it was also found that becoming a Smart Tourism Destination could be an optimal solution for Rovaniemi tourism development.
A rich literature review was generated to provide a firm background for the empirical research. The main themes of cutting-edge ICTs utilized to enhance the experience for tourists were drawn from the related academic theory. The main data sources were the websites and related online sources of the participating companies and one in-depth interview. The method of qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data.
The study found that almost all the companies studied practice and have good perception regarding the themes of interactive website, social networking site, review site and video. The theme of online reservation is limitedly practiced and perceived by most of the companies. The theme of cross-platform website, weblog, games and gamification as well as other technologies are practiced and perceived only by one or two of the companies studied. The theme of virtual travel community, mobile application, virtual reality and augmented reality as well as recommender system are not practiced by any of the companies studied. Besides, it was also found that becoming a Smart Tourism Destination could be an optimal solution for Rovaniemi tourism development.