Despite the increasing popularity of family travels and the importance of the daily local tours in the sharing economy, there is no research combining both and it is still very much lacking. Hence, this paper seeks to explore family experiences of the daily local-guided tours offered on a sharing economy platform, Withlocals, utilizing online narratives. To attain this aim, this study applies netnography approach and involves a total of 867 family experience reviews. As a result of the analysis, eight components revealed: local guides’ attributes, awe, learning, memorable, child-friendly activities, engaging tour members, family-friendly tips, and novelty. The outcomes serve as indicators for local guides in addressing the essentials and expectations in family local-guided experience. As well as having practical implications, the results yield valuable theoretical insights for family tourism literature by opening a new door for future studies.
AlazaizehMMJamaliahMMMgonjaJT, et al. (2019) Tour guide performance and sustainable visitor behavior at cultural heritage sites. Journal of Sustainable Tourism27(11): 1708–1724.
2.
AssakerGVinziVEO’ConnorP (2011) Examining the effect of novelty seeking, satisfaction, and destination image on tourists’ return pattern: A two factor, non-linear latent growth model. Tourism Management32(4): 890–901.
3.
AtsızOCifciILawR (2021a) Understanding food experience in sharing-economy platforms: Insights from eatwith and withlocals. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change: 1–26.
4.
AtsızOCifciIRasoolimaneshSM (2021b) Exploring the components of meal-sharing experiences with local foods: A netnography approach. Current Issues in Tourism: 1–18.
5.
BakirABaxterSG (2011) “Touristic Fun”: Motivational factors for visiting legoland windsor theme park. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management20(3–4): 407–424.
6.
BartlMKannanVKStockingerH (2016) A review and analysis of literature on netnography research. International Journal of Technology Marketing11(2): 165–196.
7.
BelchGEBelchMACeresinoG (1985) Parental and teenage child influences in family decision making. Journal of Business Research13(2): 163–176.
8.
BerelsonB (1952) Content Analysis in Communication Research. New York: Free Press.
9.
BergenNLabontéR (2020) “Everything Is perfect, and We have No problems”: Detecting and limiting social desirability bias in qualitative research. Qualitative Health Research30(5): 783–792.
10.
BigneEFuentes-MedinaMLMorini-MarreroS (2020) Memorable tourist experiences versus ordinary tourist experiences analysed through user-generated content. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management45: 309–318.
11.
BlackRHamS (2005) Improving the quality of tour guiding: Towards a model for tour guide certification. Journal of Ecotourism4(3): 178–195.
12.
CaberMAlbayrakT (2018) Assessing daily tour service quality: A proposal for a DAILYSERV scale. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management7: 18–25.
13.
CarrN (2011) Children's and Families’ Holiday Experience. London: Routledge.
14.
CetinGBilgihanA (2016) Components of cultural tourists’ experiences in destinations. Current Issues in Tourism19(2): 137–154.
15.
CetinGYarcanS (2017) The professional relationship between tour guides and tour operators. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism17(4): 345–357.
16.
ChanAHsuCHCBaumT (2015) The impact of tour service performance on tourist satisfaction and behavioral intentions: A study of Chinese tourists in Hong Kong. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing32(1–2): 18–33.
17.
ChandralalLValenzuelaF-R (2013) Exploring memorable tourism experiences: Antecedents and behavioural outcomes. Journal of Economics, Business and Management1(2): 177–181.
18.
CharmazK (2006) Constructing Grounded Theory, a Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis. London: Sage.
19.
ChiCGQ (2012) An examination of destination loyalty: Differences between first-time and repeat visitors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research36(1): 3–24.
20.
ChilembweJMMweiwaV (2014) Tour guides: Are they tourism promoters and developers? Case study of melawi. IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Business Management2(9): 29–46.
21.
CifciIAtsızOGuptaV (2021) The street food experiences of the local-guided tour in the meal-sharing economy: The case of Bangkok. British Food Journal123(12): 4030–4048.
22.
CoghlanABuckleyRWeaverD (2012) A framework for analysing awe in tourism experiences. Annals of Tourism Research39(3): 1710–1714.
23.
CohenE (2004) Toward a sociology of international tourism. Tourism: Critical Concepts in Social SciencesI(16): 174–187.
24.
Condor (2020) France Tourism Statistics. Available at: https://www.condorferries.co.uk/france-tourism-statistics (accessed 9 October 2020).
25.
CoudounarisDNSthapitE (2017) Antecedents of memorable tourism experience related to behavioral intentions. Psychology and Marketing34(12): 1084–1093.
26.
CreswellJW (2007) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. Thousand Oaks: CA: Sage.
27.
CromptonJL (1979) Motivations for pleasure vacation. Annals of Tourism Research6(4): 408–424.
28.
DecropA (2005) Group processes in vacation decision-making. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing18(3): 23–36.
29.
DukeCRPersiaMA (1994) Effects of distribution channel level on tour purchasing attributes and information sources. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing2(2–3): 37–56.
30.
DwyerLWickensE (2011) Event tourism and cultural tourism: Issues & debates: An introduction. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management20(3–4): 239–245.
31.
ErtEFleischerAMagenN (2016) Trust and reputation in the sharing economy: The role of personal photos in airbnb. Tourism Management55: 62–73.
32.
FaullantRMatzlerKMooradianTA (2011) Personality, basic emotions, and satisfaction: Primary emotions in the mountaineering experience. Tourism Management32(6): 1423–1430.
33.
FuXHuangZLiQ, et al. (2018) Dissecting Chinese adolescents’ overseas educational travel experiences: Movements, representations and practices. Current Issues in Tourism21(10): 1115–1136.
34.
FuXLehtoXParkO (2014) What does vacation do to our family? Contrasting the perspectives of parents and children. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing31(4): 461–475.
GodovykhMTasciADA (2020) Customer experience in tourism: A review of definitions, components, and measurements. Tourism Management Perspectives35: 100694..
37.
GoharyAPouraziziLMadaniF, et al. (2020) Examining Iranian tourists’ memorable experiences on destination satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Current Issues in Tourism23(2): 131–136.
38.
GramM (2005) Family holidays. a qualitative analysis of family holiday experiences. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism5(1): 2–22.
39.
GuttentagD (2015) Airbnb: Disruptive innovation and the rise of an informal tourism accommodation sector. Current Issues in Tourism18(12): 1192–1217.
40.
HeinonenKMedbergG (2018) Netnography as a tool for understanding customers: Implications for service research and practice. Journal of Services Marketing32(6): 657–679.
41.
HeoCY (2016) Sharing economy and prospects in tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research58: 166–170.
42.
HicksJRStewartWP (2018) Exploring potential components of wildlife-inspired awe. Human Dimensions of Wildlife23(3): 293–295.
43.
HilbrechtMShawSMDelamereFM, et al. (2008) Experiences, perspectives, and meanings of family vacations for children. Leisure/ Loisir32(2): 541–571.
44.
Hotrec (2018) Shedding Light on the ‘Meal-Sharing’ Platform Economy: Proposals to level the playing field with the food sector. Available at: https://www.hotrec.eu/wp-content/customer-area/storage/1cc3b896f3369eecf2568229a1c11a23/Final-meal-sharing-report.pdf.
45.
HowardJSmithBThwaitesR (2001) Investigating the role of the indigenous tour guide. Journal of Tourism Studies12(2): 32–39.
46.
HuangSHsuCHCChanA (2010) Tour guide performance and tourist satisfaction: A study of the package tours in shanghai. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research34(1): 3–33.
47.
Hunter-JonesP (2014) Changing family structures and childhood socialisation: A study of leisure consumption. Journal of Marketing Management30(15–16): 1533–1553. Routledge.
48.
HwangJLeeJ( (2019) Antecedents and consequences of brand prestige of package tour in the senior tourism industry. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research24(7): 679–695.
49.
IanevaM (2019) The sharing economy at tourist tours and Its impact on the tourist business (travel agencies) in Bulgaria. European Journal of Economics and Business Studies4(1): 228–234.
50.
JamalSAAminudinNKausarDR (2019) Family adventure tourism motives and decision-making: A case of whitewater rafting. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism25: 10–15.
51.
KeltnerDHaidtJ (2003) Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion17(2): 297–314.
52.
KetterE (2019) Eating with EatWith: Analysing tourism-sharing economy consumers. Current Issues in Tourism22(9): 1062–1075.
53.
KhangHHanEKKiEJ (2014) Exploring influential social cognitive determinants of social media use. Computers in Human Behavior36: 48–55.
54.
Khoo-LattimoreC (2015) Kids on board: Methodological challenges, concerns and clarifications when including young children's Voices in tourism research. Current Issues in Tourism18(9): 845–858. Routledge.
55.
KidronCA (2013) Being there together: Dark family tourism and the emotive experience of co-presence in the holocaust pastAnnals of Tourism Research41: 175–194.
56.
KimJHBrent RitchieJRTungVWS (2010) The effect of memorable experience on behavioral intentions in tourism: A structural equation modeling approach. Tourism Analysis15(6): 637–648.
57.
KimJHRitchieJRBMcCormickB (2012) Development of a scale to measure memorable tourism experiences. Journal of Travel Research51(1): 12–25.
58.
KolbeRHBurnettMS (1991) Content-Analysis research: An examination of applications with directives for improving research reliability and objectivity. Journal of Consumer Research18(2): 43..
59.
KozakMKaradagL (2012) Who influences aspects of family decision making?International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research6(1): 8–20.
60.
KozinetsRV (2002) The field behind the screen: Using netnography for marketing research in online communities. Journal of Marketing Research39(1): 61–72.
61.
KozinetsRV (2010) Netnography: Doing Ethnographic Research Online. London: Sage.
62.
KuhzadySOlyaHFarmakiA, et al. (2021) Sharing economy in hospitality and tourism: A review and the future pathways. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management30(5): 549–570.
63.
LehtoXYChenJLeU (2020) Family tourism: Past, present and opportunities. In: MorrisonAMCoca-StefaniakJA (eds) Routledge Handbook of Tourism Cities. London: Routledge, pp. 207–227.
64.
LehtoXYFuXLiH, et al. (2013) Vacation benefits and activities: Understanding Chinese family travelers. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research41(3): 301–328.
65.
LehtoXYLinY-CChenY, et al. (2012) Family vacation activities and family cohesion. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing29(8): 835–850.
66.
LiMLehtoXLiH (2020a) 40 Years of family tourism research: Bibliometric analysis and remaining issues. Journal of China Tourism Research16(1): 1–22.
67.
LiMWangDXuW, et al. (2017) Motivation for family vacations with young children: Anecdotes from the internet. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing34(8): 1047–1057.
68.
LiMXuWChenY (2020b) Young children's Vacation experience: Through the eyes of parents. Tourism Management Perspectives33: 100586..
69.
LiaoCSChuangHK (2020) Tourist preferences for package tour attributes in tourism destination design and development. Journal of Vacation Marketing26(2): 230–246.
70.
LinPMC (2020) Is airbnb a good choice for family travel?Journal of China Tourism Research16(1): 140–157.
71.
LuDTianY (2015) The emotion of Awe and perception of destination to influence Tourists’ satisfaction. Open Journal of Business and Management3(4): 412–421.
72.
MatteucciXGnothJ (2017) Elaborating on grounded theory in tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research65: 49–59.
73.
McKercherB (2002) Towards a classification of cultural tourists. International Journal of Tourism Research4(1): 29–38.
74.
Melián-GonzálezSBulchand-GidumalJCabreraIG (2019) Tours and activities in the sharing economy. Current Issues in Tourism: 1–6.
75.
Minnaert (2018) US family travel survey 2017.
76.
MitasOBastiaansenM (2018) Novelty: A mechanism of tourists’ enjoyment. Annals of Tourism Research72: 98–108.
77.
MohamadWNAABWFuadAFMShahibNS, et al. (2016) A framework of Customer's Intention to use Uber service in tourism destination. International Academic Research Journal of Business and Technology2(2): 102–106.
78.
MuñozPCohenB (2017) Mapping out the sharing economy: A configurational approach to sharing business modeling. Technological Forecasting and Social Change125: 21–37.
79.
NandaDHuCBaiB (2006) Exploring family roles in purchasing decisions during vacation planning: Review and discussions for future research. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing20(3-4): 107–125.
80.
NickersonNPJurowskiC (2001) The influence of children on vacation travel patterns. Journal of Vacation Marketing7(1): 19–30.
81.
NoeFPUysalM (2004) Social interaction linkages in the service satisfaction model. Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism4(3–4): 7–22.
82.
ObradorP (2012) The place of the family in tourism research: Domesticity and thick sociality by the pool. Annals of Tourism Research39(1): 401–420.
83.
Parisinfo (2020) Paris for the first time. Available at: https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/paris-for-the-first-time (accessed 9 October 2021).
84.
PaulauskaiteDPowellRCoca-StefaniakJA, et al. (2017) Living like a local: Authentic tourism experiences and the sharing economy. International Journal of Tourism Research19(6): 619–628.
85.
PearceJStrickland-MunroJMooreSA (2017) What fosters awe-inspiring experiences in nature-based tourism destinations?Journal of Sustainable Tourism25(3): 362–378.
86.
PetrickJF (2002) An examination of golf vacationers' novelty. Annals of Tourism Research29(2): 384–400.
87.
PineBGilmoreJH (1999) The Experience Economy. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
88.
PrebensenNKWooEChenJS, et al. (2013) Motivation and involvement as antecedents of the perceived value of the destination experience. Journal of Travel Research52(2): 253–264.
89.
PriviteraDAbushenaR (2019) The home as a consumption space: Promoting social eating. In: ByromJMedwayD (eds) Case Studies in Food Retailing and Distribution. London: Woodhead Publishing. pp. 69–86.
90.
RagehAMelewarTCWoodsideA (2013) Using netnography research method to reveal the underlying dimensions of the customer/tourist experience. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal16(2): 126–149.
91.
Reyes VélezPEPérez NaranjoLMRodríguez ZapateroM (2019) The impact of daily tour service quality on tourist satisfaction and behavioural intentions in an island context: A study on tours to isla de la plata, Ecuador. Current Issues in Tourism22(19): 2337–2341.
92.
Rojas-de-GraciaMMAlarcón-UrbistondoP (2020) Importance of family for individual tourist satisfaction. Annals of Tourism Research85: 103031.
93.
SchänzelHA (2010) Whole-family research: Towards a methodology in tourism for encompassing generation, gender, and group dynamic perspectives. Tourism Analysis15(5): 555–569. Cognizant Communication Corporation.
94.
SchänzelHASmithKAWeaverA (2005) Family holidays: A research review and application to New Zealand. Annals of Leisure Research8(2–3): 105–123.
95.
SchänzelHAYeomanI (2015) Trends in family tourism. Journal of Tourism Futures1(2): 141–147.
96.
SchänzelHYeomanIBackerE (2012) Family Tourism: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Bristol: Channel View Publications.
97.
SeyfiSHallCMRasoolimaneshSM (2020) Exploring memorable cultural tourism experiences. Journal of Heritage Tourism15(3): 341–357.
98.
SeyitoğluF (2020) Tourists’ perceptions of the tour guides: The case of gastronomic tours in istanbul. Anatolia31(3): 393–405.
99.
SeyitoğluF (2021) Tourist experiences of guided culinary tours: The case of istanbul. Journal of Culinary Science and Technology19(2): 93–114.
100.
ShiotaMNKeltnerDMossmanA (2007) The nature of awe: Elicitors, appraisals, and effects on self-concept. Cognition and Emotion21(5): 944–963.
101.
SigalaM (2015) Collaborative commerce in tourism: Implications for research and industry. Current Issues in Tourism20(4): 346–355.
102.
SkavronskayaLMoyleBScottN, et al. (2020) The psychology of novelty in memorable tourism experiences. Current Issues in Tourism23(21): 2683–2698.
103.
SmallJ (2008) The absence of childhood in tourism studies. Annals of Tourism Research35(3): 772–789.
104.
SmallJHarrisC (2014) Crying babies on planes: Aeromobility and parenting. Annals of Tourism Research48: 27–41.
105.
SthapitE (2017) Exploring tourists’ memorable food experiences: A study of visitors to Santa's Official hometown. Anatolia28(3): 404–421.
106.
SthapitE (2018) A netnographic examination of tourists’ memorable hotel experiences. Anatolia29(1): 108–128.
107.
SthapitECoudounarisDNBjörkP (2018) The memorable souvenir-shopping experience: Antecedents and outcomes. Leisure Studies37(5): 628–643.
StoneMJPetrickJF (2017) Exploring learning outcomes of domestic travel experiences through mothers’ voices. Tourism Review International21(1): 17–30.
110.
StraussACorbinJ (1990) Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage.
111.
TavakoliRWijesingheSNR (2019) The evolution of the web and netnography in tourism: A systematic review. Tourism Management Perspectives29: 48–55.
112.
ThanhTVKirovaV (2018) Wine tourism experience: A netnography study. Journal of Business Research83: 30–37.
113.
TungVWSRitchieJRB (2011) Exploring the essence of memorable tourism experiences. Annals of Tourism Research38(4): 1367–1386.
114.
TurleySK (2001) Children and the demand for recreational experiences: The case of zoos. Leisure Studies20(1): 1–18.
115.
WangDLiMGuoP, et al. (2016) The impact of sharing economy on the diversification of tourism products:Implications for tourist experience. In: InversiniAScheggR (eds) Information and Communication Technologiesin Tourism. Switzerland: Springer, 683–694.
116.
WangEShenCZhengJ, et al. (2021) The antecedents and consequences of awe in dark tourism. Current Issues in Tourism24(8): 1169–1183.
117.
WangK-CHsiehA-TYehY-C, et al. (2004) Who is the decision-maker: The parents or the child in group package tours?Tourism Management25(2): 183–194.
118.
WangLLyuJ (2019) Inspiring awe through tourism and its consequence. Annals of Tourism Research77: 106–116.
119.
WangWYiLWuMY, et al. (2018) Examining Chinese adult children's Motivations for traveling with their parents. Tourism Management69: 422–433.
120.
WangYLiM (2020) Family identity bundles and holiday decision making. Journal of Travel Research60(3): 486–502.
121.
WeilerBBlackR (2015) Tour Guiding Research: Insights, Issues and Implications. Bristol: Channel View Publications.
122.
WhalenEA (2018) Understanding a shifting methodology: A content analysis of the use of netnography in hospitality and tourism research. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management30(11): 3423–3441.
123.
Withlocals (2020) Enjoy a city like a local . Available at: https://www.withlocals.com/ (accessed 24 June 2020).
124.
Withlocals (2021) About Withlocals. Available at: https://www.withlocals.com/info/about-withlocals/.
WuMYWallG (2017) Visiting heritage museums with children: Chinese parents’ motivations. Journal of Heritage Tourism12(1): 36–51.
127.
WuMYWallGZuY, et al. (2019) Chinese Children's family tourism experiences. Tourism Management Perspectives29: 166–175.
128.
XiangZGretzelU (2010) Role of social media in online travel information search. Tourism Management31(2): 179–188.
129.
YangFXLauVMC (2019) Experiential learning for children at world heritage sites: The joint moderating effect of brand awareness and generation of Chinese family travelers. Tourism Management72: 1–11.
130.
ZatoriASmithMKPuczkoL (2018) Experience-involvement, memorability and authenticity: The service provider's Effect on tourist experience. Tourism Management67: 111–126.
131.
ZhangHWuYBuhalisD (2018) A model of perceived image, memorable tourism experiences and revisit intention. Journal of Destination Marketing and Management8: 326–336.
132.
ZhangYHitchcockMJ (2017) The Chinese female tourist gaze: A netnography of young women's Blogs on macao. Current Issues in Tourism20(3): 315–330.
133.
ZurekK (2016) Food sharing in Europe: Between regulating risks and the risks of regulating. European Journal of Risk Regulation7(4): 675–687.
