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Tourist information channels as consumer choice: the value of tourist guidebooks in the digital age

Mieli, Micol LU and Zillinger, Malin LU (2020) In Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 20(1). p.28-48
Abstract
The present research aims at understanding the value of travel guidebooks as an object of consumption in the context of the digital age. It does so by applying a consumer value perspective to an object that has traditionally been studied as an information channel or as a cultural text and not as an object of consumption. Holbrook’s consumer value framework was adopted to identify the value dimensions associated with guidebooks, and the underlying reasons for their use. Given the explorative nature of the study, a qualitative study design was chosen, and fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted. The results suggest that the use and value of guidebooks are strongly connected to emerging Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).... (More)
The present research aims at understanding the value of travel guidebooks as an object of consumption in the context of the digital age. It does so by applying a consumer value perspective to an object that has traditionally been studied as an information channel or as a cultural text and not as an object of consumption. Holbrook’s consumer value framework was adopted to identify the value dimensions associated with guidebooks, and the underlying reasons for their use. Given the explorative nature of the study, a qualitative study design was chosen, and fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted. The results suggest that the use and value of guidebooks are strongly connected to emerging Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Information needs are evolving due to technological development: the constant availability of online information has caused the temporal dimension of tourists’ information needs to shift so that decisions can be postponed until right before consumption, making information search more serendipitous. Several types of value were identified which go beyond information needs, and they are: efficiency, excellence, play, aesthetics, status, esteem, spirituality and ethics. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
consumer value, digitalization, guidebooks, serendipity, tourism information, consumer value, digitalisation, guidebooks, serendipity, tourism information
in
Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
volume
20
issue
1
pages
21 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85078948842
ISSN
1502-2250
DOI
10.1080/15022250.2020.1717991
project
Smartphoned Tourists in the Phygital Tourist Experience
Smartphoned Tourists in the Phygital Tourist Experience
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
64b87bcf-354d-4bfa-a02c-93b2d0706b1f
date added to LUP
2020-02-12 10:17:26
date last changed
2022-12-23 20:35:28
@article{64b87bcf-354d-4bfa-a02c-93b2d0706b1f,
  abstract     = {{The present research aims at understanding the value of travel guidebooks as an object of consumption in the context of the digital age. It does so by applying a consumer value perspective to an object that has traditionally been studied as an information channel or as a cultural text and not as an object of consumption. Holbrook’s consumer value framework was adopted to identify the value dimensions associated with guidebooks, and the underlying reasons for their use. Given the explorative nature of the study, a qualitative study design was chosen, and fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted. The results suggest that the use and value of guidebooks are strongly connected to emerging Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Information needs are evolving due to technological development: the constant availability of online information has caused the temporal dimension of tourists’ information needs to shift so that decisions can be postponed until right before consumption, making information search more serendipitous. Several types of value were identified which go beyond information needs, and they are: efficiency, excellence, play, aesthetics, status, esteem, spirituality and ethics.}},
  author       = {{Mieli, Micol and Zillinger, Malin}},
  issn         = {{1502-2250}},
  keywords     = {{consumer value; digitalization; guidebooks; serendipity; tourism information; consumer value; digitalisation; guidebooks; serendipity; tourism information}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{28--48}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism}},
  title        = {{Tourist information channels as consumer choice: the value of tourist guidebooks in the digital age}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2020.1717991}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/15022250.2020.1717991}},
  volume       = {{20}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}