Value proposition of smartphone destination marketing: The cases of Hong Kong and South Korea

Abstract

Aim/purpose – This paper aims at examining the value propositions of tourism market- ing for smartphone marketing and the value perceptions of tourists of using smartphone applications by investigating the National Tourism Organization (NTO) of Hong Kong and South Korea, respectively. Design/methodology/approach – Through conducting in-depth and focus group inter- views, the present study explored and compared the value proposition of smartphone destination marketing of the NTOs in Hong Kong and South Korea. Findings – Findings of the present study indicate seven value propositions of the NTO, including aesthetic, functional, hedonic, organizational, social, technological, and user experience values. Research implications/limitations – An increasing number of destination marketing organizations have been adopting smartphones to meet the demands of the competitive marketing environment. Hence, tourism organizations must enhance the delivery of quality travel-related information to improve tourists’ perceived value. A conceptual framework was proposed based on the findings of the present study, and valuable practi- cal implications were provided. Originality/value/contribution – The originality of the present study lies in the integra- tion of the value proposition concept in the consumption value theory to the mobile context in tourism. Keywords: smartphones, smartphone marketing, National Tourism Organization (NTO), value propositions, perceived value, Hong Kong, South Korea. JEL Classification: M31, N70, Z33.