Introduction
This assignment is to develop a position paper on how social media has impacted tourism offerings in your community or a community that you have experienced or even wish to experience. You can take many approaches to this assignment from a discussion around social media tools used to promote individual tourism attractions and services, to how social media has changed how people travel. From “review” sites such as Yelp or Trip Advisor, to mapping apps that allow tourists to find their way through unfamiliar landscapes to site apps that can potentially enrich a tourist’s experience by adding value (content, promotional deals). The question is, do the costs outweigh the benefits?
Philosophical questions that could be explored include:
Does the visitor get a better experience if they have access to more information via social media (hidden out of the way places, best restaurants, how to get a deal etc.) or do they lose their sense of self- discovery by following in the footsteps of others? Or does it matter?
If a visitor can use translation apps or mapping apps, do they miss out on the opportunity for an authentic experience by engaging less with locals?
Do tourists spend more/stay longer as a result of information found on social media?
Do tourists expect more as a result of information found on social media sites, such as the experiences of others?
Do review sites such as Tripadvisor add value?
What about from the operator’s/destination’s perspective?
Are we better (however you wish to define that) travelers as a result of social media?
Has social media made travel too easy?
If we can stay constantly connected to home through social media, why are we bothering to travel?
Other ideas? – share possible approaches to this topic with your OLFM. Who knows what ideas may come out of that discussion?
Instructions
While your opinions are welcomed and encouraged for this paper, they must be substantiated by academically appropriate research. What is important to keep in mind with this paper, is that while I may disagree with your opinion, if it is well supported or substantiated by research I cannot disagree (or find fault) with how your argument is presented.
The student should show:
Strong evidence of critical thinking that is presented logically and clearly.
Opinions are clearly stated and substantiated by appropriate academic research.
Concluding statement or section clearly reflects the body of the paper and is logical.
Flawlessly presented in terms of quality of references, spelling, grammar and formatting.
