Inspiring Design: Social Media from the Beach

Abstract

This chapter outlines opportunities for designing place-based or localized social media services and technologies for tourist settings. Following an exploration of how ephemeral, collaborative social networks emerge, consideration is given to understanding tourist places in terms of networking and socialization. In the field of information technology design, there are many examples of experimental mobile, location-based services that provide informational overplays for tourism sites and generally seem to merely replicate the functions of guidebooks or online information services. However, viewing the performance of tourism through a lens that emphasizes place-making as a social practice could inspire the innovation and design of new mobile social technologies to enrich tourist places and interactions.

Citation

Bødker, M. and Browning, D. (2013), "Inspiring Design: Social Media from the Beach", Tourism Social Media: Transformations in Identity, Community and Culture (Tourism Social Science Series, Vol. 18), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 107-131. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1571-5043(2013)0000018009