Collecting travelling experiences: A new travelling mindset and the role of ICT
(A2020-55223)

AUTHORS

Ioannis Kostopoulos, Liverpool John Moores University; Solon Magrizos, University of Birmingham

KEYWORDS

Collecting; Travelling; ICT

ABSTRACT

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) such as social networks, review sites, travel blogs and sharing economy platforms have radically changed how people plan and experience leisure trips. Bucket-list tourism, increased mobility and competitive travelling are only few of the new travelling behaviours that are having a prominent impact on travellers’ well-being. This study aims to shed light on these unexplored new travelling behaviours using the theoretical lens of collecting as a consumer process. We introduce the process of collecting travelling experiences, shedding light on unanswered questions and contradictions in the current tourism narrative. By redefining travellers as collectors of experiences, we can explore their motives, attitudes and behaviours in a more holistic way. From the findings of primary qualitative research based on 22 in-depth interviews with frequent travellers, we propose a framework that depicts all stages, sub-processes and characteristics of the aforementioned process.