A review of audio guides in the era of smart tourism

Seung Jae Lee ()
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Seung Jae Lee: Kyung Hee University

Information Systems Frontiers, 2017, vol. 19, issue 4, No 2, 705-715

Abstract: Abstract The tourism industry is intimately related to the development of technology. Currently, technology-integrated “smart tourism” provides convenience and interactivity, and offers personalized services to tourists. However, the use of the technology-mediated audio guides among tourists in cultural heritage sites is not as active as expected. The underutilization of the audio guides in palaces is confirmed by a survey at Gyeongbok-gung palace, and the underlying reasons are examined by interviewing visitors to Chateau de Versailles. This paper analyzes the low usage of audio guides as a case-study, utilizing Cohen’s basic concepts of tour guides, Dann’s tourist motivation theory and the museum ecology of Bell. Consequently, this paper confirms the multifunctional complexity of audio guides, and suggests improvement of them in functionality (user-friendliness, usability, interactivity and social functions) for program developers, and the strategic use of ICT in promotion of palaces as smart tourism destination in cultural heritage management.

Keywords: Audio guide; Underutilization of audio guides; Cultural heritage sites; Cohen’s basic concepts of tour guides; Smart tourism destination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10796-016-9666-6

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