Virtual Tourist: knowledge communication in an online travel community

Abstract

The exchange of knowledge and experience on the online travel community virtualtourist.com offers a practical example of how knowledge communication functions in web-based communities. This article takes an approach rooted in the emerging field of internet studies, combining quantitative analyses of the top-rated member postings with field research from the author's experiences as a member of the site and an analysis of the tone, themes, and aesthetic and emotional content in the member postings. The metaphor of a knowledge economy is used for the site to describe the hierarchy among members based on their activities in the community. The Virtual Tourist community can be seen as a truly global knowledge community in the sense that it brings together knowledge, identity, performance and aesthetics to communicate knowledge not only about tourism, but also about living in a global society.