The transmedia tourist: A theory of how digitalization reinforces the de-differentiation of tourism and social life

Abstract

This article elaborates the post-tourist de-differentiation thesis in the light of digitalization and the coming of transmedia as the dominant mode of cultural circulation. It is argued that transmedia extends and provides new facets to the de-differentiation of tourism and social life. Based on an overview of previous research, three versions of the ‘transmedia tourist’ are theorized – the ubiquitous transmedia tourist, the decapsulated transmedia tourist and the streamable transmedia tourist – representing different trajectories of de-differentiation. The typology provides an argument for the continued relevance of the de-differentiation thesis and a research agenda for future research on tourism and digitalization.

Digital media innovations through participatory action research: Interventions for digital place-based experiences

“…For example, the municipality of Kristinehamn developed a digital story trail exploring local history and narratives aimed at both locals and visitors, and Glaskogen initiated a new network among local entrepreneurs. Partaking in the process allowed for a dialogue within a wider -but local and spatially anchored -context, as called for by Jansson (2020).…”

“…Turning to contemporary critical studies on the impact of geomedia technologies, we argue that the implications of place-based technologies are not reflected upon enough within the development process. Geomedia technologies risk having a negative impact on a place (see, e.g., Adams & Jansson, 2012;Fast et al, 2018;McQuire, 2016), neglecting local perspectives as well as social and cultural impact, and do so, as it is often argued, in favour of visitors and economic growth (Dwyer, 2017;Jansson, 2020;Mosedale, 2016). Also, destination actors and stakeholders lack the knowledge and understanding of the implications that media may have on a place (see also Ek Styvén & Wallström, 2017).…”

Disconnection in nature-based tourism experiences: an actor-network theory approach

“…The impact of mobile ICTs on the tourism experience Mobile connectivity blurs traditionally sharp distinctions between being away and the everyday, as well as the traditional unity of physical and social presence (Floros et al 2021;Jansson 2020;Tan 2017;Hannam, Butler, and Paris 2014;Neuhofer, Buhalis, and Ladkin 2012). Pearce (2011) argues that the idea of tourism mobility between 'home' and 'away' needs to be replaced by a notion of perpetual 'digital elasticity' between home and away.…”

The disconnection turn: Three facets of disconnective work in post-digital capitalism

“…Hence, while deep work is meant to boost individual productivity, slow work is ultimately constructed as a "chronopolitical" (Rosa, 2013) instrument, developed to challenge precisely the kind of neoliberal, competitive ethics that push knowledge workers to their limits. In this regard, then, Newport's advice is more typical of conventional, individualistic, self-help literature (Hochschild, 1994;Madsen, 2015), whereas Mountz et al (2015) exemplifies the facet of the disconnection turn that is ontologically more aligned with social theory that problematizes not the digital per se, but rather the economic, social, and political forces that create media dependencies (e.g., Jansson, 2018).…”

“…While both time and place can certainly be managed without designated apps catering for temporal and/or spatial disconnection (see, e.g., Jansson, 2020), disconnective technologies of work are today sold as indispensable "technologies of the self" (Foucault, 1988) which can further help to "fix" workers inept of self-regulation. To the extent that they are constructed as technologies of housework, they may well appear attractive to The Post-Digital Housewife, to whom we shall now turn.…”