ABSTRACT Inspired by the critical and mobility turns in tourism studies, this article provides a conceptualisation of understanding tourist experiences on the move, along with an integrated methodology for tracking mobile tourist experiences. It argues that tourist experience is mobile and situational. Multi-dimensional aspects of tourist experience evolve and interact during their journey. Based on recent theoretical and methodological advancements, this article proposes an integrated approach to capturing the geographic, sensory, social, and emotional aspects of tourist experiences at specific places and times throughout their journey. To offer a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate and evolving nature of tourist experiences in different geographical contexts, this approach integrates Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking, portable sound levels sensing, and wearable physiological sensing technologies, together with Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) survey, in-situ photos and videos, and photo – and video-elicited interviews. A study case of the mobile tourist experience on Mount Huangshan in China is used to illustrate the integrated approach. Finally, this article concludes by discussing theoretical contributions, methodological advancements, and practical implications, which lay foundations for understanding the dynamics and complexities of tourist experiences in future studies.
Read full abstract