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- Conti, Eugenio, 1987-, et al.
(författare)
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Disconnection as a performative act in nature-based tourism experiences
- 2021
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Ingår i: INVTUR2021 online Conference, University of Aveiro, Portugal, May 6-7 2021.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives A large part of the growing body of literature on the use of ICTs and mobile technologies in tourism has examined the adaption and embracement of mobile technologies in tourism and the impact it brings in tourist experiences, often in advocative approaches (Neuhofer, Buhalis & Ladkin, 2012; Buhalis & Foerste, 2015). Nevertheless, an increasing number of authors have been commenting on the disruptive character of these technologies with the research pointing to the tourists’ loss of sense of place, disengagement and alienation caused by the perceived invasiveness of technology on the overall nature-based experience (Silas et al. 2016, White & White 2007, Gretzel 2010, Tribe & Mkono 2017). Although trends related to disconnection have been acknowledged in the form of ‘digital detox’ and ‘digital switch-off’ holidays (Elmahdy, Haukeland & Fredman, 2017; Gretzel, 2014), a relatively limited number of studies has looked into tourists desire to “disconnect” from ICTs and mobile connectivity in nature-based tourist experience (Dickinson et al. 2016; Paris et al. 2015). Current research regarding connectedness and disconnectedness in tourism experiences has followed rather dualistic, dichotomising approaches. For example, research has looked into the enforced disconnectedness as experienced in “technology dead zones” or as deliberate disconnectedness in technology-free zones (Pearce and Gretzel 2012); or technology as a barrier or an opportunity in experiencing the natural environment (Dickinson et al 2016). Dickinson et al. discussed also the dilemma of ‘to use or not to use’ mobile technologies as a “double edge sword” (p. 196) as experienced by users in campsites.ICT and mobile technology use and value creation in nature-based experiences along with the negotiation of tourists’ connectivity is a relatively understudied topic which would require further investigation (Dickinson et al. 2016; Gundersen & Frivold 2008; Vespestad & Lindberg 2011).In this paper, we examine connectedness and disconnectedness in nature-based experiences as positions in a continuum. Instead of examining mobile technology use in nature-based activities as something inherently “good” or “bad” which either advances or destructs the experience, we try to understand the different positioning that tourists can have on a continuum, which embrace both disconnection and connectivity as performative valuing acts (Baka 2015). In doing so, we move from the dominant post-positivist approaches of technology (Munar et al. 2013), which are reflected on how connectivity and disconnection are investigated in nature-based tourism. By adopting a performative view, we examine how and why subjective ideas of disconnection and connection are constructed and performed within the tourist experience of natural areas. This could contribute to answering the question of how disconnection is subjectively negotiated with being connected (Dickinson et al. 2016; Neuhorfer 2016). Methodology Qualitative, semi-structured interviews at international visitors in Fulufjället National Park, Sweden, was the method of data collection. Interviews took place right after their visit to the park and were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. A total of 36 interviewees were part of this research.Main Results and Contributions Preliminary analysis indicate that tourists seek for some control over their connectivity while outdoors in the park. Although a clear articulation of the need to disconnect has been expressed during interviews, this is negotiated from complete disconnectedness to partial one, allowing information, orientation and safety reasons to use it. Furthermore, this negotiated disconnectedness was found to form part of a broader disconnectedness from their every-day life. Disconnecting from their mobiles and technology act as a performance of their escapism from their ordinary lives and work. This is better understood as a performative act of disconnecting from ordinary life and connecting back to nature and the inner self.Limitations This research builds on a limited number of interviews in a single case-study. Further research would be necessitated to explore further the findings. The findings offer also the ground for the development of further quantitative surveys.Conclusions This research contributes to a rather understudied field, that of ICT and mobile connectivity use in nature-based experiences with empirical data from Sweden. The resulting knowledge contributes to a better understanding on the mediating role of ICTs as contributors or destructors in nature-based experiences and visitors value creation in these experiences. At a theoretical level, the research introduces the notion of a continuum in connectedness/disconnectedness in nature-based activities and the understanding of it as a performative act.References Baka, V. (2015). Understanding valuing devices in tourism through “place-making”. Valuation Studies, 3(2), 149-180.Buhalis, D., & Foerste, M. (2015). SoCoMo marketing for travel and tourism: Empowering co-creation of value. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 4(3), 151-161.Dickinson, J. E., Hibbert, J. F., & Filimonau, V. (2016). Mobile technology and the tourist experience: (Dis)connection at the campsite. Tourism Management, 57, 193–201Elmahdy, Y. M., Haukeland, J. V., & Fredman, P. (2017). Tourism megatrends, a literature review focused on nature-based tourism. MINA fagrapport 32, Norwegian University of Life Sciences.Gretzel, U. (2010). Travel in the network: Redirected gazes, ubiquitous connections and new frontiers. Post-global network and everyday life, 41–58.Gretzel, U. (2014). Travel Unplugged: The case of Lord Howe Island, Australia. In Proceedings of the TTRA Canada annual conference. Yellowknife, Canada, september 24–26. Gundersen, V. S., & Frivold, L. H. (2008). Public preferences for forest structures: a review of quantitative surveys from Finland, Norway and Sweden. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 7(4), 241-258.Munar, A. M., Gyimóthy, S., & Cai, L. (Eds.) (2013). Tourism social media: Transformations in identity, community and culture. Emerald Group Publishing.Neuhofer, B., Buhalis, D. & Ladkin, A., (2012). Conceptualising technology enhanced destination experiences. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 1(1-2), 36-46.Neuhofer, B. (2016). Value co-creation and co-destruction in connected tourist experiences. In Information and communication technologies in tourism 2016 (pp. 779-792). Springer, Cham. Silas, E., Løvlie, A. S., & Ling, R. (2016). The smartphone’s role in the contemporary backpacking experience. Networking Knowledge: Journal of the MeCCSA Postgraduate Network, 9(6), 40–55.Tribe, J., & Mkono, M. (2017). Not such smart tourism? The concept of e-lienation. Annals of Tourism Research, 66, 105–115.Vespestad, M. K., & Lindberg, F. (2011). Understanding nature-based tourist experiences: An ontological analysis. Current Issues in Tourism, 14(6), 563-580.White, N. R., & White, P. B. (2007). Home and away: Tourists in a connected world. Annals of Tourism Research, 34(1), 88–104.
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| 3. |
- Elbe, Jörgen, 1960-, et al.
(författare)
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Stakeholders’ sustainability discourses of a tourist project in rural Sweden
- 2021
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Ingår i: 29th Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research, “Shaping mobile futures: Challenges and possibilities in precarious times".
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Sustainability is a concept that has been dominating developmental and political debates during at least the last two decades. It is a contested concept, flexible enough to match diverse or even conflicting viewpoints and interests. In tourism, this vagueness is related to the value-based character of the sustainable tourism concept. The concept is often related to broad and sweeping ethical and ideological considerations and to a simplified and harmonic view on sustainable development where inescapable conflict of interests between social, cultural, economic and environmental issues are neglected. The aim of this research is to critically discuss discourses of sustainability of a disputed tourist project in rural Sweden as communicated in mass media. More specifically, the research is examining the case of Sälen mountain resort and look on how the development process of a new international airport, inaugurated in 2020, was presented and debated in newspapers. The project was considered controversial with many proponents as well as opponents raising conflicting interests and points of view. We have analysed material in newspapers for the period 2011-2019. Preliminary findings indicate that the project of the development of an international airport is presented as hopeful and good with indications of intrinsic though utilitarian values. Pro-growth discourses around increasing numbers of international tourists and job generation, or even of positive environmental impacts are evident in the media. Opposition on the other hand, comes as debate articles and develops around tax-payers money, responsibility to future generations and environmental concerns. Discourses of weak and strong approaches and pro-growth vs degrowth become part of the discussion of the results to inform the theoretical framework of analysis. As this transportation project and the discourses around it analysed rely a lot on the premise of growth and international tourism, aspects of circularity become also part of the discussion. The role of an international airport as a transportation mega-project to compensate for rurality and peripherality as well as social sustainability is evident also in the discourses. Aspects of locality and proximity are ignored in these discourses and pinpoint its relevance to circularity paradigm and its contribution in advancing sustainability discourses.
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| 5. |
- Farsari, Ioanna
(författare)
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A Soft Approach to Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Tourism Policy Making With the Use of Mental Models
- 2007
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of information and communication technologies in tourism has been a rapidly expanding field. However, most of the relevant applications relate to the transaction processing systems than decision support systems, which are designed to handle procedural tasks, such as airline and hotel reservation systems or destination management systems. These computer tools are of little support in decision situations involving uncertain, unknown or conflicting information while computerised systems to support sustainable tourism policy making are rather absent. Different decision support approaches are explored to identify the one that better matches sustainable tourism policy making needs. Sustainable tourism policy making is perceived as a complex domain involving various issues which have to be managed simultaneously with often competing goals. It is argued here that soft decision support systems, based on knowledge capturing and representation in the form of mental models could have an important contribution to the improvement of sustainable tourism policies. A cognitive mapping method to elicit, analyse and represent the mental models that policy makers in Greece hold for sustainable tourism policies is presented. Findings are discussed to reveal the complexity of the domain being investigated and highlight the contribution of mental models to the development of a decision support system to assist policy making for sustainable tourism.
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| 6. |
- Farsari, Ioanna
(författare)
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A structural approach to social representations of destination collaboration in Idre, Sweden
- 2018
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Ingår i: Annals of Tourism Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-7383 .- 1873-7722. ; 71, s. 1-12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Collaboration is a social activity shaped by interactions. Taking a structural approach in social representations theory, the present research used a cognitive mapping method to analyse and compare the mental models of actors regarding collaborations in Idre, Sweden. Tourism actors share a core system in their representations which develops around packaging and selling of the tourism product to an international market, indicative of a hegemonic representation. Issues of quality, shared responsibility, trust, inclusivity and power were also revealed and should be taken into account in planning tourism and collaborations in the area. Findings indicate that actors hold multiple representations of collaboration, which reflects the social complexity apparent in the tourism destination, and the evolutionary character of social representations.
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| 7. |
- Farsari, Ioanna
(författare)
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An analytical framework for sustainable tourism pedagogy : reflections from Sweden
- 2020
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Ingår i: Research Symposium on Sustainability Day, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden, December 10 2020.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tourism education has matured from vocational to more liberal education while current trends underline the importance of critical studies and the shift of curricula to more action-oriented forms of education with the community on focus. In parallel to the developments in tourism education, debates in pedagogy have discussed the role of education for citizenship to prepare“citizens of a complex and interlocking world” (Nussbaum 2002, p. 292). In spite of the proliferating number of relevant publications and of programme offer in tourism, little change can be noticed in tourism curricula while very little is still known about tourism education outside the Anglo-Saxon world. This research employs an autoethnography approach to analyse a master programme in tourism in Sweden. The aim is to highlight issues of importance and relevance for sustainable tourism pedagogy. It draws from discourses in tourism education, education for sustainability, critical studies, and education for citizenship to operationalise an analytical framework regarding tourism education. This framework is used to reflect on a master programme offered in Sweden and the expressions that pedagogy for sustainable tourism can take in specific contexts. Findings indicate that a number of qualities of Education for Sustainability can be found in the master programme including critical analysis and reflectivity, linking theory to practice and experiential learning methods, evolving dynamic learning, self-reflectivity over one’s own learning and peer feedback, multiple stakeholders’ approach, divergent cultural understandings, or understanding of power dimensions. Learning as a transformative experience is embedded into the programme trying to enable students to develop their own understandings of tourism and sustainability. Although the curriculum addresses all four dimensions of the analytical framework, more work can be done to strengthen parts of it, especially the need for civil, liberal action. Higher education in Sweden including, tourism education, has remained at a more reflective liberal space advocating for critical analysis skills and individual abilities to perform certain tasks. It is suggested here that tourism education needs to embrace and move towards liberal action and incorporate social learning and community service in more transformational approaches to education for sustainability.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Farsari, Ioanna
(författare)
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Analysing Policy Makers Cognitive Maps for Sustainable Tourism Policies in Hersonissos Crete
- 2006
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Systems approaches to tourism studies have long been developed to denote the need for a holistic thinking in developing and managing tourism. However, during the last few years emphasis is being placed on the study of sustainable tourism in a complex systems approach to denote the need for understanding the complexity and non-linearities involved. Cognitive maps have been well examined in organisational learning, strategy formulation and policy analysis to structure and manage complex problems. However, their use in sustainable tourism studies is a rather unexplored field. In the present research cognitive maps of policy makers in Hersonissos, a tourist destination in Crete, Greece, were analysed to identify key issues in policies for sustainable tourism and explore their relationships. Subsequently, their emergent properties in terms of content and structure were compared across individual maps. Analysis and comparisons revealed perceived interrelatedness of policies, similarities and differences as to the key issues, relationships and perceived complexity of the domain investigated. Policy issues are interwoven into a net rather than following simple linear chains with a single outcome, with differences in their construal as perceived by different individuals. This suggests that policy formulation should consider potential nets instead of fragmenting policies. The whole analysis was based on both the structure and the content of the concepts with an emphasis being placed on the construal of the maps. In this way policies were examined and analysed as nets of interlinked issues contributing to the examination of sustainable tourism policy in a complex systems perspective illustrative of values and different pathways to achieve it.
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| 10. |
- Farsari, Ioanna
(författare)
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Climate change and sustainable tourism in the new normal
- 2021
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Ingår i: Tourism 21: Re-building Tourism – Continuities and Changes.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The world is experiencing an unpresented health, social, and economic crisis situation with tourism reported to be one of the most severely hit sectors (UNWTO, 2020). COVID-19 pandemic is often discussed as an imposed pause of humanity’s frantic growth and an opportunity to reflect on our choices and future paths, an invitation to tourists and the industry to reconsider their options and adopt more sustainable practices in the after COVID-19 era (Gretzel et al., 2020; Ioannides and Gyimóthy, 2020) a view shared also by UNWTO claiming that “sustainability should be the new normal” in the after covid era (https://www.unwto.org/covid-19-oneplanet-responsible-recovery).. COVID-19 crisis although reduced or even eliminated tourism and travel opportunities for certain periods, it has also contributed to the first in history reduction in greenhouse gas emissions related to reduced travels and industrial production (Gössling et al., 2020). As the world is now focusing in mitigating the adverse impacts of the pandemic and bringing economy and tourism ‘back to business’, there are also alarming voices that measures taken in the pressure of emergency to combat economic recession from COVID-19 should not contradict or jeopardise with long-term sustainability goals and SDGs should not be overlooked or neglected (Hall et al., 2020). Besides the problems created, crises can be a disruption leading to innovations. It is a period of transition and innovation to combat a rapid crisis such as the pandemic while some of these actions and innovations, if adjusted adequately, can be useful in the long run to combat the less visible slow crisis like climate change and other sustainability challenges. In this research we look on knowledge and experience generated during the pandemic crisis to attain a more sustainable development of tourism now but very importantly in the “new normal” after the crisis. We look onto how companies in Dalarna and Gotland have responded to the pandemic so far and how they work with sustainability and climate change. In this presentation I want to explore the idea of cocreating knowledge with companies. How can we engage companies? What is relevant research for them? How can we help them towards a transformational approach to embrace sustainability?
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