Documentation of Travel Experience: The Impact of Technology on Capturing Travel Memories
Iowa State University
May 2024
/Introduction
The advent of digital tools and smart devices has fundamentally transformed travel experience documenting process. Traditionally, individuals organized mementos earned or generated during a trip into physical collections like scrapbooks containing photos, postcards, and souvenirs to capture and relive their memories. In today's digital era, the landscape has evolved, and many have shifted towards utilizing digital album app or writing a blog online to document their travel experiences. Research suggests that users of travel apps often prioritize enjoyment over convenience and value satisfaction responses over mood performance (Lee et al.). In the digital era, where many tasks are digitized for convenience, individuals find sharing travel content enjoyable and aligned with their personally meaningful goals (Oliveira et al.). Nonetheless, virtual tourism products, primarily offering tours with pictures and information, face challenges in delivering fulfilling and memorable tourism experiences (Wolf et al.).
/Objectives
With the digital transition in travel documentation, it's crucial to evaluate existing solutions to ensure they meet users' needs. This study aims to explore the current landscape of digital travel documentation and assess whether available 'digital album' applications align with users' expectations. By identifying gaps and areas for improvement, the goal is to inform the design of a new product that caters to the evolving needs and preferences of individuals documenting their travel experiences in the digital age. Specifically, the study seeks to:
- To understand individuals' perspectives on what constitutes a trip memory and how sharing align with their goals.
- To learn whether individuals prefer "enjoyment" over "convenience" in the process of documenting their travel experiences.
- To learn whether digital mementos have the capacity to evoke and enhance memorable experiences.
/Methodology
Interview
- 5 Participants
- 20-25 Minutes
- Criteria
- Age 18+
- Individuals who document their travel experience in any forms
- Travel for leisure at least once a year
- Recruited through reaching out to friends
Participants
| P01 | P02 | P03 | P04 | P05 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Female | Female | Female | Male | Male |
| Ethnicity | Asian | Asian | Asian | Asian | Asian |
| Location | Taiwan | Taiwan | US | US | US |
Data Analysis
- Bottom-Up approach
- Went to first transcript, identify anything that seems relevant to the research questions
- Created general/broad coding based on research questions
- Applied code to rest of the transcripts, add new code when needed
- Went back to the first transcript to apply new codes
- Looked at all codes at the same time to see anything that can be eliminated or refined
-
Finalized coding with 8 codes at the end, with 3 main categories:
- Type of documentation
- Storing platform
- Preference
/Findings
All participants in the study unanimously defined taking photos as a means of documenting their travels. Additionally, the majority of participants expressed a belief that printed photographs evoke stronger emotions compared to digital photos. Despite this preference, most participants indicated satisfaction with current solutions for managing their travel photos. Interestingly, several participants spontaneously mentioned the idea of a world map in relation to their travel experiences, indicating its significance in their perception of travel documentation or memory preservation.
- Photography: Documenting Travel Experiences
“I think taking pictures is very important to me.” - P01In terms of travel documentation, various mediums like photos, videos, text, and itineraries itselves are crucial for capturing and preserving memories. All participants see photos as their main trip memories. For many travelers, taking photos becomes an essential part of the travel experience, freezing a moment that captures the essence of the journey. However, despite the effort to capture these moments, some participants stated they never look back at their photos or other documentation, indicating that this behavior reflects something significant about people's attitudes towards travel and their engagement with memories.
- Most participants are satisfied with current solutions
“Phones and computers are more convenient.” - P02Most participants find using phones and computers for storing and organizing digital photos more convenient than dealing with physical prints. Many express satisfaction with the current digital solutions, Google Photos or Apple Photos, emphasizing the ease and immediacy of accessing their photos on electronic devices. They appreciate the convenience and cost-effectiveness of digital storage, as it eliminates the need for physical storage space and reduces the risk of damage or loss associated with printed photographs. Despite this convenience, some participants also recognize the advantages of physical prints, noting that while they require more effort to maintain, they offer a tactile experience and a sense of authenticity. Nonetheless, the overall feedback suggests a preference for digital solutions due to their convenience and practicality in storing and organizing large collections of photos.
- Printed photographs evoke stronger emotions
“Prints are more lively.” - P04Some participants believe printed photos evoke stronger emotions than digital ones, likely due to their tangible nature, offering a tactile experience and a sense of nostalgia and authenticity. The permanence of printed photos also adds emotional weight, serving as enduring mementos of cherished memories.
- Desire for a world map
“I want to buy a world map and a lot of pins.” - P01Several participants expressed a desire to purchase a world map, indicating a strong interest in visually documenting their travel experiences. For these individuals, the world map serves as a tangible representation of their global adventures, allowing them to mark each visited destination with a pin. Interestingly, while some participants insisted on acquiring a physical world map, citing a preference for the tactile experience it offers, others were more flexible, acknowledging the constraints of space and effort and expressing a willingness to accept a digital alternative. Regardless of their preference for the medium, the common thread among participants is the recognition of the world map as a meaningful tool for tracking and reminiscing about their travels, embodying a sense of wanderlust and adventure.
/Discussion & implications
Considering that most users already utilize system default photo apps or services like Google Photos for storing and organizing their travel photos and already satisfied with this solution, it may not be practical to develop a new standalone photo app. Instead, focusing on enhancing existing platforms or offering complementary features through a virtual world map app could be more effective. This approach leverages users' existing behaviors and preferences while providing additional value through innovative features tailored to the travel experience. Therefore, while the research findings suggest the potential for a virtual world map app with integrated features, careful consideration of market dynamics and user habits should inform the product development strategy.
Beyond merely serving as documentation of travel experiences, the act of taking photos itself is an integral component of the travel experience for many individuals. This observation suggests a fascinating aspect of human behavior worth exploring in depth. While photos capture moments and memories, the act of taking them also shapes the travel experience itself. Understanding why people feel compelled to take photos, even if they may not revisit them afterward, is an intriguing phenomenon that speaks to the intersection of technology, psychology, and culture in modern society. Diving deeper into this aspect can offer valuable insights into the motivations and behaviors of travelers, shedding light on the underlying reasons behind our desire to capture and preserve moments from our journeys.
The contrast between the perceived convenience of digital media and the emotional depth evoked by physical artifacts in travel documentation offers valuable insights into users' preferences and behaviors. This highlights the complexity of human interaction with technology and the importance of addressing both practical and emotional needs in the design of travel documentation platforms. Moving forward, there is potential for the development of hybrid solutions that harness the efficiency of digital platforms while incorporating elements that evoke emotional connections akin to physical items. Additionally, future efforts could focus on enhancing personalization features within digital platforms and conducting further research to understand the underlying mechanisms driving emotional engagement with different media formats. By embracing this nuanced understanding of user behavior and preferences, designers and developers can create more holistic and satisfying experiences that cater to the diverse needs of travelers in the digital age.
/Limitations
One limitation of this research is the insufficient depth of exploration resulting from not asking enough follow-up questions. During the analysis process, it became apparent that the study's limitations included a lack of follow-up questions. This realization highlights the importance of thorough questioning to uncover deeper insights within participants' responses. Without adequate follow-up inquiries, the depth of understanding and richness of data collected is compromised. Consequently, while the study provides valuable insights, the absence of comprehensive follow-up questioning hinders the extent to which the findings can fully capture the complexity and subtleties of the phenomena under investigation.
/Next steps
If further research were to be conducted, several recommendations could be considered:
- Dive Deep into Understanding the Differences between Physical and Digital Media: This could involve exploring factors such as sensory engagement, nostalgic triggers, and psychological associations to gain a more detailed understanding of why individuals perceive emotional differences between physical and digital forms of travel documentation.
- Evaluate the Desirability of a Digital World Map App: This could involve conducting user surveys or usability testing to assess user preferences, expectations, and desired features for such an app.
- Learn Why People Take Photos and Never Look at Them Again: By gaining a deeper understanding of why people take photos and their subsequent engagement with them, researchers can identify opportunities to enhance the value and meaningfulness of travel documentation for users.
/References
Scholarly
Ting-I Lee, Ming-Yueh Wang, Chi-Yueh Hsu, Yu-Ting Chen, and Chun-Yu Chien. 2019. The Backpacking Travelers' Usage Value and Experience on Tourism Efficiency by Using Travel Apps. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology (ICEMT '19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 332–335. https://doi.org/10.1145/3345120.3345186
Sara Wolf, Michael Weber, and Jörn Hurtienne. 2023. Virtual Tourism, Real Experience: A Motive-Oriented Approach to Virtual Tourism. In Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA '23). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 309, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1145/3544549.3585594
Tiago Oliveira, Benedita Araujo, Carlos Tam, Why do people share their travel experiences on social media?, Tourism Management, Volume 78, 2020, 104041, ISSN 0261-5177, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2019.104041.
Non-scholarly