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Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2017 pp 347–359Cite as

(Dis)Connectivity in the Travel Context: Setting an Agenda for Research

Abstract

Digital technologies have had a great impact on people’s everyday lives and transformed work, leisure and travel contexts. The ubiquitous use of technologies has allowed people to connect everyday life and travel, causing blurring boundaries between once separated domains. A wide body of research has investigated how travel, leisure activities and tourist experiences are enhanced through digital technologies, while the notion of ‘disconnection’ is only starting to receive attention. This paper fills a gap in that it offers a discussion around connectivity and disconnectivity in the travel context and sets an agenda for further research. Methodologically, this study draws upon secondary research and a thematic analysis of a symposium to develop a comprehensive agenda of six areas for research. This paper contributes to (dis)connectivity, tourist experience and work-life balance discourses in the digital age.

Keywords

  • Digital technology
  • Connectivity
  • Disconnectivity
  • Travel
  • Research agenda

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of all the invited speakers to the symposium, and the Balance Network and the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K025619/2) for funding the symposium.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Salzburg, Austria

    Barbara Neuhofer

  2. Bournemouth University, Poole, UK

    Adele Ladkin

Authors
  1. Barbara Neuhofer
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  2. Adele Ladkin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara Neuhofer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Tourism, HES-SO Valais-Wallis, Sierre, Valais, Switzerland

    Roland Schegg

  2. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom

    Brigitte Stangl

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Neuhofer, B., Ladkin, A. (2017). (Dis)Connectivity in the Travel Context: Setting an Agenda for Research. In: Schegg, R., Stangl, B. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2017. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51168-9_25

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