University of Algarve, School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism & Centre for Tourism, Sustainability, and Well-Being (CinTurs), Campus da Penha, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Prof. Celia Ramos
University of Algarve, School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism & Centre for Tourism, Sustainability, and Well-Being (CinTurs), Campus da Penha, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Currently, the digital economy contributes decisively to an increase in competitiveness, especially as a digital transformation involves migrating to new technological models where digital marketing is a key part of growth and user loyalty strategies. Internet and Digital Marketing have become important factors in campaigns, which attract and retain Internet users. This study aims to identify the main ways in which users can be gained and retained by using Digital Marketing. The Delphi method with in-depth interviews was the methodology used in this study. The results of the research show the most important actions for achieving user recruitment and loyalty with Digital Marketing from the opinions of consulted experts. The limitations of this study are those related to the number of experts included in the study, and the number of research papers consulted in the literature review. The literature review and the results of this research are used to propose new solid research with a consolidated critical methodology. This research deals with a new approach that will optimize web technologies for the evolution of user trends, and therefore, will be of academic and professional use for marketing managers and web solution developers. The conclusions of the investigation show the key factors, discarding others that do not affect the optimization of conversions in B2C businesses such as the duration of the session and the rebound percentage. Likewise, the results of the research identify the specific actions that must be carried out to attract and retain users in B2C companies that use the Digital Marketing ecosystem on the Internet. The requirements for companies that wish to implement a model to optimize conversions using the current digital economy are also shown.
1 January 2020 in Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
Tourism Destination Image (TDI) is complex, dynamic and multidimensional by nature and shaped by a multitude of events, interactions and sensory impressions, especially once the tourist is at the destination, generating tourists' engagement on social media networks. This study aims to measure the online destination image (ODI) portrayed in user-generated content (UGC) on social media by employing the sentiment analysis method. Data were extracted from Facebook and Instagram on the Visit Algarve social media profile. The Algarve region is situated in the south of Portugal and is one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. The main results shed light on the relevance of intangible heritage experiences as triggers of positive feelings about the destination. Content shared about tourists' activities in the region generates more engagement in the tourism destination's social media. Tangible heritage received the lowest rated sentiment, and destination agents should strategically look into it as there are opportunities for destination management. Tourism infrastructure has the lowest engagement value; therefore, in terms of promotion, it does not generate interest.
The application of the most recent technologies is fundamental to add value to tourism experiences, as well as in other economic sectors. Mobile Five Senses Augmented Reality (M5SAR) system is a mobile guide instrument for cultural, historical, and museum events. In order to realize the proclaimed five senses, the system has two main modules: a (i) mobile application which deals mainly with the senses of sight and hearing, using for that the mobile device camera to recognize and track on-the-fly (museum’s) objects and give related information about them; and a (ii) portable device capable of enhancing the augmented reality (AR) experience to the full five senses through the stimulus of touch, taste, and smell, by associating itself to the users’ smartphone or tablet. This paper briefly presents the system’s architecture but, the main focus is on the analysis of the users’ acceptance for this technology, namely the AR (software) application, and its integration with the (hardware) device to achieve the five senses AR. Results show that social influence, effort expectancy, and facilitating conditions are the key constructs that drive the users to accept and M5SAR’s technology.
Pilgrimages and travel for other religious reasons are two of the major drivers of human mobility. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can contribute to sharing knowledge about religious heritage with tourists, residents, and religious communities. ICT innovations that help individuals find information and acquire knowledge about cultural heritage can bring new experiences and sensations to tourists and residents, in general, and to those who have accessibility problems, in particular. These innovations include augmented reality, location-based services, social networks, gamification, and intelligent interfaces. This paper focuses on religious and spiritual routes and itineraries, presenting a religious tourism experience model that allows tourists to acquire additional knowledge about cultural and religious heritage, based on technological architecture using intelligent human-computer interactions displayed on personal mobile devices. This approach expands personal and spiritual experiences when travelers visit religious heritage sites associated with itineraries.