Algorithmic visibility and the transformation of tour guides’ professional identity in Bali: A conceptual exploration

Ni Ketut Wiwiek Agustina (), I Nyoman Sunarta (), I Gusti Putu Bagus Sasrawan Mananda () and Yohanes Kristianto ()

Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, 2025, vol. 9, issue 9, 627-636

Abstract: This conceptual paper theorizes how algorithmic visibility reshapes the professional identity of tour guides in Bali. Integrating structuration theory and identity work with platform studies and authenticity research, it develops a framework and propositions rather than reporting empirical data. The framework explains how guides negotiate legitimacy across three regimes—cultural (community norms and ritual propriety), algorithmic (ratings, rankings, engagement), and formal (licensing/associations)—and how tensions among them generate identity strain, emotional labor, and market precarity. We propose that guides respond via identity play, narrative layering, and community anchoring, which differentially affect well-being, service quality, and destination image. The paper contributes theoretically by bridging structure–agency perspectives and reframing authenticity as an algorithmically negotiated practice, and practically by outlining policy and capacity-building levers (e.g., dispute resolution for unfair reviews, greater transparency in ranking, and digital literacy training). Situated within Global South debates on cultural labor and digital mediation, the study delineates a research agenda for ethnography, cross-destination comparison, and quantitative tests of algorithmic effects.

Keywords: Algorithmic visibility; Authenticity; Bali; Identity-work; Structuration theory; Tour guiding. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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