The Impact of Digital Technologies on Tourist Experience and Behavior
Butt, Nehal (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112931327
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112931327
Tiivistelmä
Technology is increasingly defining the tourism business, the manner in which travelers make their travel arrangements, currently, even the way in which they engage with a destination or share their vacation experiences. Therefore, this thesis is about the shift in behavior and expectations of tourists due to mobile applications, social networks, VR and AR. This paper aims to discover how these technologies affect decision-making and travel experiences and post-trip sharing activities to provide the tourism businesses with valuable information about the ways to adapt to the digital context.
This research involved the use of questionnaires and focused interviews. The survey was administered to respondents who are the locals, visitors and the persons who are both the locals and visitors. It became evident that digital tools, especially in the form of mobile applications and the most actively used social networks like Instagram and Facebook are critical to planning and conducting trips as well as in choosing accommodation or the next travel destination. The existing VR and AR technologies are equally useful since they provide travelers with immersive pre-mobile ones.
Although the advantages like convenience, personalization and planning were recognized and importantly highlighted, there were some fears identified in the study. Several of the interviewees argued that decision-making relying on such technology as GPS hinders interaction with local guides as well as erases the interpersonal aspect of traveling. Some of the concerns highlighted included the questions of privacy that concerns sharing of information on social media. However, overwhelming majority of participants recognized that digital technology aids overall experience and should not be minimized.
From this thesis, it is proposed that the use of IT applications and mediums have made travel more convenient and more available but at the same time offer problems for tourist encounters namely the clashes of information overload and face to face contact reduction. The study suggests that tourism companies ought to adopt technological tools in marketing and using local culture while using technology appropriately and explore deeper use of VR and AR technologies to enhance tourists’ experiences.
This research involved the use of questionnaires and focused interviews. The survey was administered to respondents who are the locals, visitors and the persons who are both the locals and visitors. It became evident that digital tools, especially in the form of mobile applications and the most actively used social networks like Instagram and Facebook are critical to planning and conducting trips as well as in choosing accommodation or the next travel destination. The existing VR and AR technologies are equally useful since they provide travelers with immersive pre-mobile ones.
Although the advantages like convenience, personalization and planning were recognized and importantly highlighted, there were some fears identified in the study. Several of the interviewees argued that decision-making relying on such technology as GPS hinders interaction with local guides as well as erases the interpersonal aspect of traveling. Some of the concerns highlighted included the questions of privacy that concerns sharing of information on social media. However, overwhelming majority of participants recognized that digital technology aids overall experience and should not be minimized.
From this thesis, it is proposed that the use of IT applications and mediums have made travel more convenient and more available but at the same time offer problems for tourist encounters namely the clashes of information overload and face to face contact reduction. The study suggests that tourism companies ought to adopt technological tools in marketing and using local culture while using technology appropriately and explore deeper use of VR and AR technologies to enhance tourists’ experiences.