The Role of Smartphones in Mediating the Touristic Experience

TLDR

Mobile phones have evolved into smart computers that provide ubiquitous information services, and their growing prevalence positions them to significantly influence the touristic experience. The study explores the mediation mechanisms of smartphones by examining traveler narratives about smartphone use during travel. The study examines traveler narratives about smartphone use during travel to uncover how these devices mediate the tourist experience. Smartphones alter tourists’ behavior and emotions by meeting diverse information needs, enabling problem solving, experience sharing, and memory storage, and the study highlights their substantial potential to transform many facets of the tourism industry.

Abstract

Mobile phones have evolved to be smart computers (smartphones) supporting a wide range of information services that can be accessed anytime and from (almost) anywhere. With the increasing number of users and greater incursion into people’s life, smartphones have the potential to significantly influence the touristic experience. This study explores the mediation mechanisms of smartphones by examining stories provided by travelers related to their use of smartphones (and associated applications) for traveling purposes. The results reveal that smartphones can change tourists’ behavior and emotional states by addressing a wide variety of information needs; in particular, the instant information support of smartphones enables tourists to more effectively solve problems, share experiences, and “store” memories. The implications of these findings are important in that they suggest a huge potential for smartphones in changing many aspects of the tourism business.