Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 42 (2020) 266–276

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Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jhtm

Losing touch: Uncomfortable encounters with tourism technology T

a,b,∗ a
Hera Oktadiana , Philip L. Pearce
a
College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
b
Trisakti School of Tourism, Jakarta, Indonesia

A R T I C LE I N FO A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Close analysis of the user-based difficulties with tourism technology are infrequent. The present autoethno-
Technology development graphic account of strategically selected cases seeks firstly, to understand tourist technology user difficulties and
Design science secondly, to develop managerial directions for maintaining quality holiday experiences. Four strategically se-
Self-esteem lected cases were studied: a high tech apartment in Vienna, the main metro system in Madrid, a theme park in
Tourists' needs
the Netherlands, and tourist transport options in Innsbruck. The researchers uncovered multiple annoying and
Culture change
uncomfortable facets of technology design. Supportive on-line commentaries confirmed specific problems such
as the need to have internet access, language difficulties, and scheduling advice. The lack of touch in the tourist-
technology interfaces generated a sense amongst users of being out of touch. Reflexive consideration of the
method used in the study, as well as the study findings, generated recommendations directed at thoroughly
trialling installations for a range of users, improving supplementary instructions and always having some ac-
cessible personnel.

1. Introduction technology automation diminishes interpersonal contact and social

experience/engagement and creates anxiety for a range of users. It is
In his wide-ranging book, The Future, Al Gore suggests that the se- valuable to collect evidence about these suggestions. Potentially, as
cret to the use of digital tools is personalised precision (Gore, 2013). technology is infused more and more into people's lives, they will be
The essence of this idea lies in the tailoring of technology to the needs more familiar with the special challenges of using technology on holi-
of the people who use it. By way of contrast, Gore warns that we should days. The work is carried out using a deeply reflexive autoethnographic
not evaluate new technology developments by listening only to the approach investigating pivotal cases of technology in tourism in the
advocates likely to profit from the introduction of the facilities. This Netherlands, Austria and Spain.
study documents some specialised cases involving interacting with
tourism technology. The aim of the work is to address emerging diffi- 2. Literature review
culties when technology is embedded liberally in tourism settings
without careful attention to user needs and characteristics. Tourism and hospitality researchers have essentially supported and
Technology can aid the co-creation of tourist experiences in a proselytized the cause of introducing technology into tourism (Sigala,
number of ways: it can serve as an enabler, creator, attractor, enhancer, 2018). There is now a substantial literature and de facto endorsement of
and educator. Technology, however, can also become a ‘destroyer’ of the role of ICT in tourism (Benckendorff et al., 2014; Lalicic &
tourist experience (Benckendorff, Sheldon, & Fesenmaier, 2014). While Weismayer, 2018; Minghetti & Buhalis, 2010; Wang, Xiang, &
self-service technology produces positive outcomes, it may also create Fesenmaier, 2016; Willis, Ladkin, Jain, & Clayton, 2017). Only a few
negative effects due to changes in the service encounters that lack in- sporadic voices wonder and worry about the limits of the digital
terpersonal charm (Fisher & Beatson, 2002; Oh, Jeong, & Baloglu, dominance of tourism spaces (Li, Pearce, & Low, 2018; Neuhofer &
2013). The present study pursues a key point made by Fisher and Ladkin, 2017; Tribe & Mkono, 2017). Amongst these voices of minor
Beatson; the adoption of self-service technology can potentially harm dissent, several themes of interest for the present study can be detected.
the hospitality business as it can be difficult to recover promptly from It has been suggested for many years that tourism and hospitality are
the service failure (e.g. unable to complete a transaction, deal with a high touch service industries. This is a core teaching plank in the
system breakdown) due to the staff absence. In this view, the world's hotel schools (Wood, 2017). The same kind of theme underpins

∗
Corresponding author. College of Business, Law and Governance, James Cook University, 1 James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia.
E-mail addresses: [email protected] (H. Oktadiana), [email protected] (P.L. Pearce).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.01.011

Available online 12 February 2020

1447-6770/ © 2020 CAUTHE - COUNCIL FOR AUSTRALASIAN TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY EDUCATION. Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.
H. Oktadiana and P.L. Pearce Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 42 (2020) 266–276

tourism study with destination managers being led to believe that including the kinds of tourism technology interactions in the previous
communities need to present a host friendly face to tourists (Morrison, categories, has received a boost in the last decade from the growing
2018). But how friendly is a touch pad or a card reader? Secondly, there literature known as design science. In the past, the approach has been
must be a recognition of how the full range of tourists can and do in- the province of engineers and architects. Arguably, these expert ad-
teract with the technology. If services such as cashless restaurants are visers and designers have, at times, overlooked the user. The under-
introduced (as in Hangzhou, China), are there some who are margin- standing of design has a commercial emphasis and is often delivered to
alised by this change? A third theme with international tourism im- businesses through consultancy projects or in high priced seminars
plications can also be detected in the writing of those who raise some which advocate each “expert's” heuristics. Slowly, a more accessible
issues about a technology dominated holiday (cf. Li et al., 2018). The academic literature has developed (Fesenmaier & Xiang, 2016). Studies
adoption of a widening sphere of technologically driven services can be about the physical components of services capes and then further work
at the expense of culturally nuanced interactions. The opportunities to in marketing and consumer behaviour led the way (Bitner, 1992;
learn a little about other people in other places is one of the charms of Morelli, 2009; Pacenti and Sangiorgi, 2010; Pinhanez, 2009; Schmitt,
crossing international and cultural thresholds. It has been suggested 2003). Tool kits and suggestions for how to track the trajectory of
that such liminoid and at times challenging encounters underpin the tourism experiences were then identified (Stickdorn & Schneider,
power of tourism experiences (Hottola, 2004). If the cross-cultural 2011). For tourism researchers, the design science methods are not
contexts and information exchanges simply consist of multiple IPad truly new, rather they are familiar research approaches packaged in a
interfaces, on-line apps and service interactions with robotic human- different way (Morgan, Lugosi, Brent Ritchie, 2010; Pearce & Zare,
like droids, then the travel experience may be diminished (cf. 2017). The value for the present work is that the techniques such as
Benckendorff et al., 2014, pp. 268–269; Murphy, Hofacker, & Gretzel, systematic tracking of customer-business touch points enables re-
2017). searchers to build a comprehensive inventory of user technology in-
Studies on technology acceptance and self-service technology have teraction. In effect, the ideas of design science bring order to the col-
been presented in the literature with a dominant focus on perceived lection of customer data as researchers seek to pinpoint opportunities
ease of use of technology and its benefits or perceived values (Pham, for enhancing the tourist experience.
Nguyen, Hui, & Luse, 2018; Feng, Tu, Lu, & Zhou, 2019). The ad- In this study, these broad concerns are brought into focus by an
vantages of self-service technology may include better service experi- intensive investigation of powerful protypical cases. As researchers
ences, cost saving, and efficiency (Beatson, Lee, & Coote, 2007; have increasingly argued, the selection of protypical or pivotal case
Gelbrich, 2009). Nevertheless, for some time the problems inherent in studies can have solid implications beyond the immediate examples
technology dependence have bothered individuals with the view being (Flyvbjerg, 2006; Yin, 2009). Theoretical sampling is all important to
offered that unintended consequences plague many users (Tenner, building the implications of case studies (Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007).
1997). Further, Feng et al. (2019) found that customers may resist using That is, the cases should be selected because they are especially suitable
self-service technology when they are forced to use tools that reduce for illuminating and extending relationships in the area of interest (De
their choices. Wang, So, and Sparks (2017) have maintained that poor Crop, 2004). Yin refers to these kinds of cases as revelatory; that is, very
experience with technology such as technical failure or no response to good examples where a phenomenon is better developed and the issues
an online/e-mail inquiry may frustrate travellers. Such negative reac- more explicit than in other emerging examples of the same theme. If
tions are caused by the perceived threats to their personal control. possible, cases that complement one another are also recommended. As
Pham et al. (2018) argued that individuals' ability to use technology Eisenhardt and Graebner wrote over a decade ago, “case comparisons
and/or their technology readiness and its impacts on the customers’ clarify whether an emergent finding is simply idiosyncratic or likely to
emotions should be considered. be replicated they offer broader explanations (to) … research questions
As an organising study that facilitates the discussion of customer and theoretical elaboration” (Eisenhardt & Graebner, 2007, p. 27).
perspectives, Kelly, Lawlor, and Mulvey (2017) identified six roles in The researchers employ an autoethnographic approach and because
self-service technology encounters. While their work was built on the of the relative novelty of the approach some issues about its use are
airline sector, the roles can be seen as of broad value. This conceptual raised in this literature review section rather than as a part of the
scheme will be used as an organiser of technology-linked experiences in method. There are theoretical and methodological challenges in ap-
the present work. The suggested role types are convenience seeker, proaching the topic with autoethnography. In particular, the issue of
motivated worker, judge, enforced worker, unskilled worker, and as- the trustworthiness and credibility of the accounts offered can trouble
sistance provider. These six roles have both positive and negative researchers accustomed to more standard survey tools.
connotations for value creation. The convenience seeker tends to use Autoethnography is an approach to (critical and reflexive) inquiry that
self-service technology to gain speedy, efficient, and trouble-free ser- recognizes and accommodates a researcher's position and emotionality
vice. They use the technology with minimum effort. This group de- in order to see the world from a wider lens (Ellis, Adams, & Bochner,
scribes their feelings as involving freedom, independence, accom- 2011). As Villegas (2018, p. 243) stated, “it is our duty to share with
plishment and competence. Motivated workers show a sense of others our experiences – positive and negative – as well as our insights
responsibility to take part or contribute to effective service delivery. and discoveries” as an academic and/or practitioner. Ellis et al. (2011)
They are willing to learn how to use the technology, double check the maintained that autoethnography helpfully brings to the fore the re-
input, and avoid making mistakes and service failures. Those in the searcher's influence, emotionality, and subjectivity. Noy (2008, p. 142),
Judge category like to evaluate the self-service technology. The as- argued that the approach “can communicate experience and reconstruct
sessment may be positive or negative. They make comparisons, provide it in vivid, lively and sometimes painful ways”. This genre of qualitative
feedback and recommendations to the establishment. The Enforced study is gaining popularity, especially in areas where rich emotional
workers use self-service technology because they need to as they have responses to events and incidents are valued (Anderson, 2006; Savenar
no other options. They displayed negative emotions such as stress, & Franzidis, 2018).
pressure, annoyance, and unfairness. The description of the role of the Ellis et al. (2011) also maintained that a number of tools can be used
Unskilled worker views them as not being too skilful in using tech- to build credibility. Keeping excellent records is one valuable activity
nology and they like to seek help from other people. Finally, assistance (cf. De Crop, 2004). Photographs are also useful to help with memory
providers help others with the technological use due to empathy or recall in writing autoethnography (Herrmann, 2005). In using the ap-
obligation. They can be labelled as enthusiastic or reluctant assistance proach, it is necessary to contemplate others who may experience the
providers. world in similar ways and, additionally, compare findings with existing
The ability of researchers to investigate tourism experiences, studies (Ellis et al., 2011). In presenting any autoethnographic account

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and elevating the analysis beyond idiosyncratic description, researchers 4. Results

need to reflect deeply on their personal abilities and biases and the
specific contexts in which they experienced the topics of interest 4.1. The autoethnographic account
(Humphreys, 2005). The four suggested points to contemplate when
presenting an autoethnographic account are: authenticity, exposure, 4.1.1. Interactive experience in Madurodam theme park
reflexivity, and application. In the order cited above, these terms place One of the researchers, identified here as researcher A, visited
an emphasis on reporting everyday and naturally occurring episodes, Madurodam with her young daughter on 16 May 2018. This was the
being willing to be honest about the feelings and emotions experienced, second visit to Madurodam for the researcher. She visited the park more
appraising personal views and biases with a searching examination of than 20 years ago in 1997 with her friends when she did an internship
the relevant values, and bearing in mind any applied practical con- in a hospitality business and studied in the Netherlands. It was quite
sequences of the work to avoid self-indulgence. These touchstones for emotional for the researcher to revisit the park with her daughter. The
considering a valuable autoethnographic account will be employed in tickets cost 16.50 Euro per person, the price being the same for adults
subsequent sections of this paper. and children. When entering the park, the researcher was rather con-
Building on these substantive and methods-based points, the orga- fused trying to decide what to see and which route to take. The re-
nising aims of the research are as follows: firstly, to report any user- searcher still vaguely remembered the miniatures of Schiphol airport,
based difficulties with technology in protypical tourism settings; and the train station, and the Rijksmuseum. There were no clear directions
secondly, to note managerial directions for maintaining quality holiday or suggestions provided. Several times the researcher and her daughter
experiences. needed to return to a certain display because they missed it. When they
tried to use the card to activate an activity, the card did not work. Then
3. Methods the researcher realised that the card needed to be activated in a parti-
cular station inside the park. The researcher thought the card was al-
3.1. The case study sites ready activated upon purchase. There was no information given at the
ticket counter on how the card worked. The person in the ticket booth
Following the directions outlined by Flyvbjerg (2006) and sup- only asked where we were from and told us that the card can be used to
ported by Yin (2009), cases were selected as leading and significant activate some features. There were no staff around at that time to ask.
exemplars of trends likely to be at the cutting edge of change and in- After wandering around a little, the researcher saw a card activation
novation for the topic at hand. In focusing on European cases, the re- machine near the area with the large Madurodam letters (the place
searchers were able to draw on technology practices in well-visited where many people took photos). Someone was there using the ma-
tourist destinations, thus augmenting the power of the study for chine, so they had to wait for a while. The machine was actually simple
thinking about the tourist–technology interface in many similar con- to operate, but the screen was rather hard to see due to the glare (this
texts. Four cases were considered: interactive experience in Madurodam also happened in other type of machines located near the mini models).
theme park in Den Haag, the Netherlands; tourism travel experiences Moreover, some of letters in the keyboards did not function smoothly. It
based on technology in the city of Innsbruck, a high-tech hotel in was necessary to press hard or press a few times. To activate the card,
Vienna, and using the Metro as a form of tourist transportation in the researcher needed to input her name and email address.
Madrid. Once the card was activated, the researcher and her daughter en-
joyed the interactive activities. They were quite fun and entertaining.
3.2. Study approach and data analysis The researcher and her daughter spent more than 3 h in the park
(longer than the initial plan of two or 2.5 h) as her daughter enjoyed the
The approaches used to address the aims of the study are two-fold. games and interactive activities in the park. The games and activities
In the first section, a detailed autoethnographic account of the four include interactive screen, running water and gates along the dam,
cases was developed. Subsequently, online reviews about these cases loading a cargo ship by using a crane to pick up boxes, flying a plane,
are also used to confirm and extend the autoethnographic analysis. The pumping water to extinguish a fire, running a windmill, inserting a coin
reliability and validity of the core autoethnographic component of the (one Euro) to get mini clogs that were sent to you by lorry at the clogs
study can be justified by documenting in detail the actual experiences of factory and a tulip brooch at the bulb and flower factory, and operating
the researchers, by providing photographs and by referring to personal a fair with a coin (see Fig. 2). The music DJ with many mini people
memos. These records establish that the story is true, possible, and dancing was amusing. Using the card, they took some (memory) photos
lifelike (De Crop, 2004; Ellis et al., 2011). The trustworthiness of this in a booth that would be sent by email. It was rather hard to have the
study was also gained by having continuous discussion between the two photo taken. Firstly, the camera was a bit high, especially for the re-
researchers and critical examination during the analysis and the writing searcher's six years old daughter. Secondly, the glare made it difficult to
process (Huang, 2015). Data from personal notes, memos, and photo- see if our faces were captured by the camera. It was quite disappointing
graphs were gathered during the researchers’ trip in Europe from 13 to see the results of the memory photo when it was sent via email. Only
May to 3 June 2018. The researchers stayed nine nights in Den Haag half of the heads appeared in the photo.
from 13 to 22 May, four nights in Innsbruck and three nights in Vienna, The researcher and her daughter also experienced the indoor ad-
from 23 to 29 May, and five nights in Madrid from 29 May to 3 June. venture, Nieuwe Amsterdam to appreciate the New Amsterdam in the
The ethical facet of this study lies in the use of data obtained from a 17th century (known as New York nowadays). There were only two of
public venue and no private individual interactions were involved us at the New Amsterdam section. As we entered the room, we were
(Kozinets, 2015). standing inside an old ship. It was dark inside and a pre-recorded voice
The first case highlighted the experience using interactive activities told a story with a map shown on a big screen. Then we went to another
at Madurodam theme park. The second case concerned moving around room where a further story was told by a moving mannequin wearing a
the city using public transportation and/or rented bicycle. The third 17th century costume standing on a boat. The giant screen showed an
case focused on the apartment hotel where technology was pivotal in animated film of a Dutch ship in full sail as well as New York in the 17th
providing the experience. The fourth case underlined the experience in century (New Amsterdam) and in the present day. The researcher en-
using Metro system in Madrid. Following the design science writing of joyed the show and learning the history. Unfortunately, we missed the
Stickdorn and Schneider (2011), it is fruitful to lay out any experiential opportunity of firing the canon as we were not sure when and how it
contact point with technology in a timeline or trajectory. The travel would work. Maybe this may sound silly, but they did not want to
trajectories of the cases are presented in Fig. 1. further explore as it was a little frightening since they were the only

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H. Oktadiana and P.L. Pearce Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 42 (2020) 266–276

Fig. 1. Travel trajectory.

tourists alone in the dark room. When the researcher met a staff person 4.1.2. Getting around the city of innsbruck
in that area and asked about the canon firing, it was explained that it The researchers travelled to Innsbruck on May 22, 2018 by train
should be done during the story presented by the mannequin. It was a from Amsterdam. They arrived about 90 min late due to the train delay
pity that we were not well informed about this. in Frankfurt. The team had a quick dinner at a restaurant opposite the
train station before they headed to their accommodation in Neustift.

Fig. 2. Some interactive activities at Madurodam

Source: Authors' images.

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The next day, the researchers went to Innsbruck. One researcher (re- prompted feelings of frustration. They reconsidered their plans and
ferred here as researcher B) had a work commitment. Thus, after having decided to search for more information about the Innsbruck Card on the
coffee near the Golden Roof, the team were separated. One researcher internet, eventually reorganising their plans and deciding to purchase
(referred to here as researcher A) explored some possibilities of using the card. It seemed it was more convenient. Their plan for moving
public transportation or a bicycle for the time in Innsbruck since it is around the city had changed due to the technical difficulty of the apps
known as a bicycle-friendly city. Researcher A enjoyed the first day in and on line language limitations.
Innsbruck and began to explore the location by walking around the old The next day, the researchers went to the train station to buy the 24-
city. h and 48-h Innsbruck tickets. Researcher B bought the 24-h card due to
In the afternoon, researcher A visited a tourist information centre other commitments. The lady that sold the cards told the researchers to
near the Golden Roof to ask about the best options to explore the larger show the card when visiting attractions or when using the sightseeing
city environment (e.g. what kind of the bus tickets were available). bus. Researcher A used the card to go to Alpine Zoo, travel around the
Researcher A asked the information centre staff about the Innsbruck city using the hop-on hop-off bus, and visit Tyrol Panorama Museum
Card and its benefits. It appeared that the Innsbruck Card offered many and Hofkirche. Based on the first day experience of using the Innsbruck
advantages as people can visit various attractions for free, receive dis- Card, the researcher could only use the card to visit three attractions
counts in some shops and entertainment (e.g. casino, golf, fitness), and plus travelling on the sightseeing bus. The researcher felt it was rather
have free use of Innsbruck's hop-on and hop-off bus sightseeing bus. The rushed and had to monitor the time frequently to meet the sightseeing
card is valuable if you maximize its use. It offers savings up to €145 for bus timetable.
a three-day visit, assuming people visit most of the attractions and use On their last day in Innsbruck, the researchers used the Innsbruck
the sightseeing bus. At that time, the research team did not plan to use Card for getting a cable car to the mountain top facility known as
Innsbruck Card because they liked flexibility in their travel and did not Nordkette. They spent half a day there. When they arrived at the
feel like racing to visit all attractions in order to maximize the card's Congress station to get Hungerburg funicular to Nordkette, people were
value. They also thought that it may not be very convenient (and lining up. The research team were not sure whether they should queue
probably rather impossible) to visit all the attractions as promoted in and show their cards to staff behind the counter or should they go di-
the card. Little information about how to purchase the card was pro- rectly to the funicular. There was no information. After watching
vided. For example, the visitor centre staff simply said that it can be someone tap an Innsbruck Card on the machine to gain access to the
bought online or at the IVB office. No further explanation was given. cable car, they eventually left the queue, followed the role model and
When researcher A was walking around the Marktplatz, she found a got into the cable car. The cable car was already full of people. It was
public bicycle parking space where, for a fee, the bicycles could be used quite annoying for the researchers as they arrived at the station early
for city travel. She was excited to think how fun it would be to cycle and wasted time in the queue due to lack of information.
around the city. However, she learned that she had to register and pay
via an App to use the bike (see Fig. 3). As researcher A did not have 4.1.3. Accommodation experiences in Vienna
access to the internet, she planned to do the registration later in the The researchers departed for Vienna in the late afternoon of May 26,
hotel. After dinner, the researchers opened the IVB websites (In- 2018. They arrived at their booked apartment in Vienna at 5 p.m. It was
nsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe und Stubaitalbahn GmbH - Innsbruck's public quite surprising to find that the front door was locked. Apparently, a
transport system) to find out more about the bicycle options, the bus credit card was needed to open the electronic front door. There were
tickets and the routes. The website has an English version, nevertheless, two machines on the wall: one was a room card tap in machine for the
the instructions to buy tickets online at the ‘ticket-shop’ or ‘IVB Tick- in-house guests and the other one was for the new guests to enter using
etshop-App’ (https://ticketshop.ivb.at/) was in German Furthermore, a credit card. The language in the machine was in German and no ad-
the App called IVB-Scout that provides the real time departures in- ditional information was posted. Luckily, the researchers had a suitable
formation for buses, trams, and nightliners was also in German. It was credit card for opening the front door which gave them access to the
found that the Apps rating was moderate: under three out of five stars at self-check-in machine area (see Fig. 4).
the time of this study. The same issues happened when accessing the Once the researchers were inside the self-check-in area, they tried to
bicycle online site. The written instruction and the video user guide follow the instruction written on a piece of paper on the wall. The in-
were in German. As non-German speakers, this was discouraging and structions were in German and English. Interestingly, there was no “in

Fig. 3. The bicycles and the app registration

Source: Authors' images.

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H. Oktadiana and P.L. Pearce Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management 42 (2020) 266–276

detergent was provided. The detergent was nowhere to be found. Was it

already installed automatically in the washing machine? The re-
searchers assumed so, but had to guess. After the washing was com-
pleted, the clothes were put in the dryer. Again, there was doubt about
selecting the button. It was decided that something resembling “express
dryer” would do. Unfortunately, the clothes were still damp when they
came out of the dryer. The researchers tried another function, but
without success. The clothes were still damp. It was already late in the
evening. Eventually the damp clothes were taken back to the room and
effectively redecorated the furniture as they were hung all over the
place since there were only a few hangers. It would be interesting to
note that when the researchers later asked the manager how to contact
any other hotel staff, the response was simple: by email or phone call.
What if the internet connection does not work and the guests do not
have a local SIM card or the facility to make a call using their countries’
SIM cards? Fortunately, the check-out process was simple and without
difficulty. The room key was simply dropped in the check-out box.

Fig. 4. Access to the front door and the self-check-in machine

4.1.4. Using the metro in Madrid
Source: Authors' images. The researchers decided to use the Metro as the main transportation
to go around Madrid as they heard it was easy and convenient. They
spent six nights in Madrid from May 29 to June 4, 2018 in a hotel near
case of emergency” information if something went wrong. There was no
Metro-Argüelles station. The researchers went to the metro station on
telephone to contact any hotel apartment staff. The researchers com-
May 30 morning to buy metro tickets. At the ticket machine, the re-
mented to each other that it would be quite challenging if a guest came
searchers were not sure about the ticket options. Apparently, there were
late at night and had problems with the self-check-in process. The re-
several types of tickets. It was confusing to decide on what card they
searchers managed to undertake the self-check-in and received the
should buy. Luckily there was a staff person nearby who helped them
room keys which were delivered to a machine next to the self-check-in
purchase the ticket. We told the assistant that we planned to stay for
unit. The keys were used to open another door that led to the lift and a
five days and needed a ticket for multiple journeys including the bus.
small sitting area. In that area, there were two vending machines for
The researchers tried to learn how to use the ticket machine by ob-
cold and hot drinks. Inside the lift, the room key card was again needed
serving the staff assistant, but the attempt was unsuccessful as she did it
to go to the designated floor. When the researchers arrived on their
very quickly; certainly, too fast to follow. After paying by a credit card,
floor, they were a bit confused about finding their room as there were
the researchers received a multi card that could be reloaded and used
no further signs. Eventually, they found a door near the lift that led to
for multiple persons. Several tickets were in conjunction with this card,
another guest room area and their actual accommodation.
including single ticket, 10-journey ticket, airport extra charge, and
The condition of the room was generally good with a minimalistic
tourist tickets based on certain terms and conditions. Principally, the
and modern style. However, there were no instructions on how to use
card had to be tapped when entering the metro line and tapped out
the equipment or systems. During the stay, the researcher team en-
again when leaving (see Fig. 5)
countered several problems. The first issue of note involved the air
The Madrid Metro system was relatively easy to navigate especially
conditioning. It seemed that the air conditioning was not cold and at
if one is accustomed to using these types of transportation. Researcher
night it turned off automatically and could not be turned on again. One
A's experience living in Hong Kong for three years enabled her to read
of the researchers contacted the hotel staff by email as there was no
and identify the links quickly. Researcher B took a while to become
house phone or telephone in the room or in the public area. The re-
accustomed to the system. There were 12 lines with different colour
searcher asked about the air conditioning issue, and also the location of
codes. For example: line 1 with light blue colour indicated the line
the washing machine and dryer, and how to use them. The first re-
between Pinar de Chamartin and Valdecarros, line 2 (red) showed the
sponse was an automatic reply in both German and English stating that
link between Las Rosas and Cuatro Caminos, line 3 (yellow) was for
due to the request being out of office hours, any enquiry should be
Villaverde Alto-Moncloa, and line 4 (brown) was for Arguelles-Pinar de
made by telephone call or, alternatively, contact the hotel again on
Chamartin line. When the researchers wanted to visit Plaza de Espana
Monday at 8 a.m. (note: the researchers stayed in the weekend).
and Sol, they needed to follow line 3 from the Argüelles station with the
Fortunately, the manager emailed back a little later and told the re-
direction to Villaverde Alto. It can be noted that the Consorcio Regional
searchers about the washing machine and advised that the automatic
de Transportes de Madrid has now launched a New App for the Public
system for the air-conditioning only worked from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Transport Card (TTP).
Below is the script of the manager's response (written as it is):
The AC is Working from 8am to 8 ok ans is an automatically System! 4.2. The online reviews

You will find the washing Maschine in the basement! You have the in- In the present work the autoethnography is supplemented by one
structions in the washing Maschine located facet of netnography (Mkono, 2012). It is employed to aid the re-
searchers to understand the phenomenon of interest from other tra-
The second problem was the washing machine and the dryer. These vellers who experience similar events. Netnography offers an approach
machines were free to use for the guests. There was a brief note on how to human experience that allows the researchers to disclose themselves
to turn on the washing machine and the dryer. However, the instruc- and enter the (others) online conversation, mingling their personal and
tions did not clarify the function of each button on the machine. For informants' networks (Kozinets, 2015; Kozinets, Scaraboto, &
example, the note informed guests where to start the washing machine Parmentier, 2018; Reid & Duffy, 2018). Kozinets et al. (2018) maintain
and required preferences to be chosen. The researchers agreed that this that netnography is like a selfie where “the image of the image-taker
was a puzzle. How were the guests to know what to choose if all the must be a part of the overall picture” (p. 236). It is about the reflection
button functions were in German? The note also said that the washing of the researchers' life and their views of social reality through an

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Fig. 5. Metro Transportation System in Madrid and Metro multi card

Source: Authors' images.

examination of key episodes. All the texts, images, and other records 2013) that are relevant to the themes or topics, rather than just focusing
that are seen online and on social media tell stories and are the re- on a single website/online site or a particular group (Kozinets, 2015).
flection of our own and other people's selfies (Kozinets et al., 2018). The selection of the three sites used in this study were deemed relevant
Kozinets (2015), identifies and recommends following most of the to the topics and the research aims. Online reviews from TripAdvisor
following stages: introspection, investigation and information, inter- were analysed for Madurodam theme park and Metro Madrid. Only the
view and inspection, interaction, immersion and indexing, interpreta- reviews written in English and comments posted based on the 2018
tion and iteration, and finally integration. The researchers initially experiences were analysed. Moreover, the analysis of the remarks fo-
thought deeply about the motivations and interests of the topic and cused on the interactive games and activities for Madurodam and the
their study aims, unfolding their technology abilities and evaluations use of ticket machines, the system, and the directional challenges for
and their roles as the researchers (introspection stage). They then the Madrid Metro. In total, there were 1780 reviews in English for
searched relevant studies in tourism and technology to broaden their Madurodam with 80 comments were found in relations to the inter-
notions and to ensure that the study conformed to the research ethics in active games and activities. While for the Metro Madrid, 2384 reviews
regards to using online reviews (investigation and information stages). were found in English with 252 comments concerning the ticket ma-
The researchers familiarized themselves with the online sites and their chine, the system, and the direction.
types of interactions, and then evaluated and selected the sites that Online messages posted by tourists from Booking.com, Expedia.
were considered relevant to the topic (interview and inspection stages). com, and TripAdvisor about the high-tech hotel were examined. Three
For this study, they did not decide to engage in online social interac- criteria were used to select the reviews: comments that were written in
tions with other people (interaction stages). This was seen as un- English; those that were directly related to the use of technology in the
necessary because the topic is accessible without specialist knowledge hotel; and experience from the current year of 2018. Narrowing down
or language. The researchers then followed a set data collection data from online sources is a common requirement to meet the pre-
strategy which include the development of criteria of data search and ferred research goals (Wu & Pearce, 2014). Further, determining data
became immersed in the data (immersion and indexing stages). After boundaries is important in netnographic data (Kozinets, 2015). From
the data collection, the researchers began interpretive analysis where 1245 reviews found in Booking.com, Expedia.com, and TripAdvisor,
continuous interpretation took place (going back to the data, to the 342 comments were in English, and 121 of them discussed the use of
research aims/questions) (interpretation and iteration stages). Finally, technology and communication. More were in German, French, and
the end effect of this approach is the publication of the paper by sharing other languages, but they were not easily accessible to the researchers.
the researchers’ personal experiences and those of other people The property was listed as “New in Expedia” in Expedia.com and very
(through online reviews) concerning the use of technology in tourism, new to TripAdvisor. Therefore, the number of reviews in Expedia and
its challenges, and how to the destinations/tourism sites address the TripAdvisor were much less than those in Booking.com. Total reviews
issues (integration stage). in Booking.com were 185 where 70 reviews in English and 31 reviews
Some further details about the data collection process reveal the related to the technology and communication. While there were only 18
complete strategy employed. To understand the stories and views of reviews listed in TripAdvisor with nine in English and four reviews
other people, the researchers examined online reviews from about technology and communication. The guests’ reviews were ex-
TripAdvisor, Booking.com, and Expedia.com. It is common in netno- amined using content analysis to discover the technological issues faced
graphy to use several (field) sites (cf. Mkono, Markwell, & Wilson, by the guests by counting the frequencies of the occurrence. The

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researchers used Excel to organise the themes from the content analysis. least minimally with some staff or local people was identified.
Innsbruck's public transport was not reviewed as insufficient data Adopting the work of Kelly et al. (2017) concerning six customer
were available. The researchers found a notification on TripAdvisor roles in using technology, the researchers' roles and experiences
that the topic of “Innsbruck: Public Transportation” was closed as of changed during their activities and travel (see Fig. 6). When staying in a
November 1, 2016. Thus, even the limited information that was avail- hotel in Vienna, the role can be identified as a convenience seeker since
able was likely to outdated. Moreover, the information in the they wanted to have a speedy and efficient service. Due to some diffi-
TripAdvisor forum was merely about where to go using public trans- culties and problems in using the self-service technology, the re-
portation. searchers' role changed to the judge, which then shifted to enforced
The online review information supplemented the autoethnographic worker and unskilled worker as they needed help. The researchers’ role
experiences for the theme park, the hotel apartment, and the metro. when visiting the theme park and going around the city of Innsbruck
Madurodam was rated 4.5 out of 5.0 in TripAdvisor's guest reviews. was that of motivated seeker. They were willing to learn how to use
Many travellers seemed impressed by the Schiphol model where some technology. This role transformed to the judge when problems occurred
miniature airplanes were moving in the runway. Apart from the posi- and they started to assess the technology and made comparison with
tive remarks, several problems were identified from the analysis. They the other similar services. The researchers were also motivated workers
include the dysfunction of several games, displays, and screens, unclear when they tried to use the metro in Madrid. The role changed to un-
signs and directions, lack of maintenance, lack of information, outdated skilled worker when they faced problem in using self-service ticket
technology and leaflet, lack of attention from staff, and the need to have machine and required assistance from other people.
an audio guide. The second aim of the study was to note any possible management
For the accommodation in Vienna, the rating of the property in tips from the intensely realised autoethnographic accounts. The study
general (in Booking.com, Expedia.com, TripAdvisor) was high. In par- has four specific managerial implications. Firstly, there is the necessity
ticular, the hotel received very good rating on the cleanliness, property to install devices that are tested and trialled with truly diverse users.
condition, comfort, facilities, and value for money (above 9.0 in Any technological issues/errors should be thoroughly anticipated.
Booking.com and above 4.5 in Expedia.com). Based on the analysis, Secondly, it is important to provide instructions that are easy to follow
four major issues were identified: problems with the equipment/ma- and multi-lingual. In tourism, dealing with individuals from multiple
chine/device (e.g. Air Conditioner, Wifi, cooking equipment), the ab- language groups is essential and its absence represents a failure of
sence of staff that also led to communication problems (guests-staff service design. The numbering of steps to follow can be valuable.
interaction), lack of instruction/information provided, and the self- Diagram, pictures, or pictograms can be added next to the written in-
check-in process. Importantly for the links to the autoethnographic structions. Multiple language texts, voice options, and signs with
work, the guests expressed their feeling and emotions as being dis- translations can be helpful. Thirdly, there should be a communication
appointed, confused, strange, shocked, panic, stressful, frustrated. system for guests to speak to a staff person or manager should any
There was a key sense of experiencing a loss of self-esteem due to the problems arise. The loss of any touch makes guest feel they too, are
inability to master the technology dependent systems of the property. losing touch with the modern world; this outcome runs counter to the
The overall rating of Madrid Metro in TripAdvisor was 4.5 out 5.0 at intent of all holiday makers to feel better about themselves and enjoy
the time this study was conducted. Although the system in general was their travel experiences. Fourthly, regular control and maintenance are
easy to use, and the staff were helpful when available, there were four essential to ensure the smooth operations of the equipment/machines.
main issues faced by the travellers. They include the difficulty in using Malfunctioning apparatus may create the feeling of frustration and
the ticket machine, lack of information and instructions and unclear disappointment, in particular for leisure and entertainment.
directions that led to confusion, unfriendly, unhelpful and unavail- As highlighted in the literature review section, researchers using
ability of staff, and language barrier. autoethnographic approaches have to provide a strong interpretive
frame around their work. In essence, this means ensuring that the
5. Summary of results idiosyncrasies of the account are recognised and the personal nuances
in the story telling are deeply examined through reflection. These re-
As a way of integrating both the detail developed in the auto- flective processes assist in thinking about the wider implications or
ethnographic approach to the study and the netnographic investigation, generalisations of the work, as well as providing challenges for the
key points about technology related problems identified through the individual which might allow them to rethink some of the ways they
two techniques are listed in Table 1. perceive the world. Guidelines for undertaking solid appraisal of the
narrative in the autoethnographic style are provided by Humphreys
6. Discussion (2005). He suggests there are four facets to consider in reviewing any
account: authenticity, exposure, reflexivity, and application. In this
The first aim of this study was to document some of the encounters study the researcher have addressed the authenticity challenge by
with technology in the selected pivotal cases. Table 1 provides the telling the stories about the everyday activities that tourists may ex-
specific details of these issues. Across the cases, losing touch was ap- perience using the researchers’ personal details. Some of it may seem
parent in two ways. There was certainly a loss of touch with any sup- trivial, but it provides the mundane ordinariness often lacking when
port staff in the high-tech hotel apartment and in the use of the In- tourism research directs attention to the existential moments of trans-
nsbruck transport access systems. When staff responded and could formational growth (cf. Rickly & Boyd, 2018). As researchers, the detail
mitigate the issues readily, the felt sense of being emotionally ready to set forth in the present work helps establish that these encounters really
enjoy the setting re-emerged. By way of contrast, if staff were unable to happened, they were not concocted for an academic article and the
follow through with truly useful information, this failure compounded photographic record illustrates those events (De Crop, 2004).
frustrations generated by the inaccessibility of the first round of en- A second consideration to buttress the adequacy of a quality auto-
counters with the technology directed service. But the loss of touch also ethnographic account rests on the topic of exposure; the meaning of the
extended to an internal sense of anger, frustration and self-doubt as term here lies with the ability of the author/researcher to be honest in
well. In this sense too, individuals felt “out of touch” with the con- displaying their frailties and their embarrassing moments. The process
temporary service environment being offered. The findings of the study is arguably the opposite of much academic writing where presenting
are in accord with the balanced emphasis about technology adoption the researchers as competent, well-informed and unobtrusive has been
described by several authors (Bratec, 2018). From both the auto- a dominant style (Jennings, 2018). In the present account, there is
ethnographic accounts and the online reviews, the need to interact, at plenty of exposure. Researcher A admits to being a little frightened of

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Table 1
Summary of technology related problems.
Travel Trajectory Technology Related Problems (autoethnography) Technology Related Problems (online reviews)

Visiting a theme park (Den Haag)

Interactive games/activities
• Unclear information of the card activation and on some
activities
• Dysfunction
screens
of several games, displays, and

• Screens were hard to see under the sunlight • Unclear signs and directions
• Some letters in keyboard were hard to press • Lack of maintenance and information
• Difficulty in finding staff to ask questions • Outdated technology and leaflet
• Lack of attention from staff
• The need to have an audio guide.
Going around the city (Innsbruck) • Language issue with the Apps (payment and instruction n/a
• Exploring the possibility of using public bus and/or were in German)
bicycle; visitor card analysis • Lack of information
• Using public transport/bicycle to enjoy Innsbruck,
changing options
Staying experiences (Vienna) • Lack of information and instruction in using • Problems in using equipment/machine/device
• Entering the accommodation; Accessing entry equipment/system • Absence of staff that led to communication problems
• Getting keys and finding room • Absence of staff and limited access to the staff (guests-staff interaction)
• During stay: Using several in-room and public facilities • No telephone provided in the lobby or guest rooms to • Lack of instruction/information provided
• Check out-Completing key return contact the staff (mainly use email) • Issue with self-check-in process
Using public transport (Madrid) • Difficulty and confusion in using the ticket machine • Difficulty in using the ticket machine
• Buying and using the ticket • Lack of information and instructions and unclear
• Getting directions directions that led to confusion
• Unfriendly and unavailability of staff
• Language barrier.
The researchers, as academics, have moderate skills in technology use,
but this positionality was not helpful or conducive to a successful in-
teraction with several of the technology affordances in the cases stu-
died. The researchers had empathy for the people in the online world
who had similar experiences (difficulty and challenges) in dealing with
technology. The researchers would not classify themselves as luddites
in the technology spectrum (cf. Benckendorff, Moscardo, & Murphy,
2005) but opportunists (or motivated users); willing to try and put in
some effort. Nevertheless, in these four cases alone, the research team
struggled with access to information messages, washing machines,
rental bicycle systems, activation of cards for interactive games, and
buying metro tickets. The reflection here suggests that those unused to
technology, those who are already stressed, and others who do not
speak the language may feel that they too, are losing touch (Fisher &
Fig. 6. The change of roles in using technology.
Beatson, 2002).
The fourth contemplative effort required of autoethnographic re-
the dark spaces, while both authors write that they were annoyed and searchers is that of application. This can mean the managerial value of
frustrated at missing a good position to view the scenery on the alpine the research and several highlights from the work have already been
railway as well as perplexed and puzzled by the simple ticketing and indicated. Another important sense of application lies in the challenge
washing machine directives in other languages. Savenar and Franzidis of applying the experience of doing this kind of work to the authors’
(2018) in their own autoethnographic account of travelling in Cam- own lives and values. While this may not be of broad interest to a wider
bodia, express their own “exposure” in a very similar way, openly re- public, it is undoubtedly clear that such studies boost the contemplation
lating their quiet frustration with a photograph-seeking Chinese tourist of how much technology is seen as personally desirable. For these re-
intruding on their own good times. searchers, the amorphous but honest answer is some but not too much.
The term reflexion itself, as specified by Humphreys, can be con- When the tourism experience of being in Jakarta, Juno and
sidered as contemplating one's own value and attitudinal lenses ac- Johannesburg becomes indistinguishable due to technology, then the
quired over a lifetime of previous experiences. The reflection then death of any impetus for travel may be the unforeseen outcome of over
consists of thinking how these attributes shape what is seen and re- adoption.
ported by the autoethnographic researchers. In netnography, reflective
fieldnotes are imperative; including recording the conditions and per- 7. Conclusions and implications
sonal emotions during the online time (Kozinets, 2015). Similarly, in
autoethnography documenting the feelings when involved in the The disruptive effects of technology have been well documented
technology use was important for the study. Despite having travelled to both in and beyond business and tourism studies (Gore, 2013). It is
various countries and places, the researchers still felt stressed, confused, seemingly impossible to suggest that the adoption of technology will be
and incompetent in using technology during the reported travel epi- less in the coming years. For example, the changing demographics of
sodes. One of the researchers, who is Asian, was strongly affected by many developed countries, with fewer young people available and in-
such negative and pessimistic feelings as being used to supportive social terested in service work is prompting a robotic turn in hotels and res-
relationships from a collectivist cultural background, she was dis- taurants (Ivanov, Webster, & Berezina, 2017). In this disrupted, evol-
appointed by the lack of personal care and touch in the scenarios de- ving, and now near to normal experiential landscape, it is valuable to
scribed. Such feelings have been reported previously among Asian re- track the problems which emerge along the way and to provide both
spondents who may feel differently about the need for social contact training for what humans need as customers and as providers to form a
than their Western counterparts (Chu & Choi, 2011; Wang et al., 2017). superior hybrid tourist-technology nexus for sustainable tourism.

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