Using Tripadvisor© for exploring cultural tourism development in Bahrain.

Abstract

Social networks have brought new opportunities in tourism destinations management and marketing. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study explores how users in tourism accept and use technology based on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use, in this case Trip Advisor. The findings suggest that travellers and visitors use TripAdvisor to collect information about a destination and share experiences with other community members, before and after visiting key cultural attractions. Furthermore, cultural tourism has a potential to grow in the region however, there should be more information available on the attractions websites. Cultural attractions should be more organized, offer more information and enhance the cultural experience. This paper recommends that social networks and TripAdvisor should be used by the local tourism authorities for the development and promotion of cultural tourism in Bahrain.