Deliberate non-use of technology in nature-based tourism products and experiences

Abstract Technological advancement and tourism have been closely intertwined for years, a trend further accelerated by the recent Covid-19 pandemic. While there is a substantial body of literature discussing tourists’ attitudes toward technology usage, operator-focused research to date is far more limited. This article is based on empirical work focussing on operator perspectives of technology use in relation to visitor products and experiences. Semi-structured interviews based broadly on Davis’s (1989) Technology Acceptance Model were conducted with operators in the Lower South Island of New Zealand - a prime nature-based tourism context - with the objectives to (1) obtain an understanding of what technology is used in nature-based tourism products and experiences, and how; and (2) to understand assumptions and attitudes behind the choices informing (1). A key finding to emerge was the deliberate ‘non-use’ of technology, driven largely by a deep-seated conviction held by operators that meaning is to be found outside of technological solutions. For operators, ‘meaning’ is linked to beliefs about authenticity, connection, and the ongoing need for, and importance of, human tour guides. This study suggests a renewed assessment of the role of technology in nature-based settings.