Hybrid tourist information search German tourists' combination of digital and analogue information channels

Abstract

<jats:p> In a rapidly digitalizing world, both tourism actors and researchers are striving to keep pace with developments in tourist information search. This is not an easy task, as research results are pointing at different directions. Moreover, while tourism research is indicating the importance of analogue and digital information sources in parallel, tourism actors focus mainly on digital development. This does not make sense. This study aims to contribute to the academic debate on the importance and combination of information channels. The paper is based on a multi-method approach including surveys and interviews. Results show that tourists are hybrid information searchers who are loyal to their information channels and who dismiss too much of information. Empirically, the study is based on German tourists in Sweden. </jats:p>

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