Tourism, Technology and Wellness

Co-creation: Tourism, Technology and Wellness

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Abstract: Developed countries set trends in types of tourism products and
technologies that developing countries should incorporate in the tourism industry to
allow their economies to grow. Typical types of such tourism products are the cocreation
between tourism and technology, tourism and wellness and wellness and
technology. Wellness involves sport participation, fitness and healthy living. This
paper investigates the possibility of developing a country’s tourism industry utilising
wellness products and technology to market innovatively. The idea is to incorporate
and share information generated from technology with tourists participating in
wellness tourism. The result is a more holistic wellness experience and additional
word of mouth marketing.
Keywords: tourism, technology, wellness, co-creating, developing countries

Introduction
Africa has shown economic growth and the developing countries within Africa have
increased the wellbeing of their population [1]. Mobile technology usage has also increased
in developing countries and is used to text, take pictures, visit social networking sites and
access health information. In South Africa 91% of the population own a cell phone and
62% visit social networking sites for various reasons [2].
South Africa is a developing country with lots of potential and, simultaneously
developmental challenges [3]. The national tourism strategy aims to increase the
competitiveness of South African tourism through innovative marketing and tourism
products. In order to develop authentic products partnerships and tourism knowledge is
necessary [4]. The recording and posting of relevant knowledge, through electronic means,
has become important to modern-day individuals that participate in tourism and health
related activities. This paper will investigate the benefits of tourism and health
organisations can achieve if partnerships between technology and wellness are utilised to
create innovative marketing and tourism products.
The use of technology to record and post fitness and wellness information has become
part of consumers and business in all three industries – technology, tourism and wellness.
All industries use the same Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to
communicate and distribute information. ICTs include cell phone applications (apps),
websites and Facebook. Interesting linkages are occurring between wellness and
technology, wellness and tourism and tourism and technology. The question arises why
there are not more linkages formed between technology, wellness and tourism on social
media? And what problems can occur when these three aspects are combined to form
innovative marketing communications and products?