Don't get around much any more: Synchronous Travelogues at the Notting

Hill Carnival

Why this research?

• Study mapping the Experience Production System of UK

Carnivals using social media

• Technology and social behavior coevolve:

– Technology influences social interactions

– Social interactions can also influence technology

• Synchronous Travelogue

– Emergent form of online behavior by individuals

Why is this important to

Carnival?

• Commercial implications for festival organizers and

entrepreneurs

• Every visitor/customer has an audience >150, combined

reach of over 1 million in any medium sized event

• Young, affluent, educated audience

– Influence visit/ product purchase decisions

– Influence festival layout and design

Literature Summary

• The travelogue has a long history

– Narrated

– Written

– Printed

– Photos

• From late 1990s overtaken by travel blog

– Online

– Participative

Research Design

• Content analysis online

• Archive of Social Media interactions around Events and

Destinations

• Virtual interviews with bloggers in Delphi format

Findings

• Blogs evolved

• FROM

• Post hoc, asychronous, rich text, descriptive, discursive text,

pictures (semi-synchronous, often with proprietory blog platforms)

• TO

• multi-faceted, synchronous, interventions, bricolage, varied content,

fragmented (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Foursquare)

Findings

• Motivations of Travelogue writers:

• Travel experience enhanced through virtual conspicuous

consumption or through altruism/sharing.

• Audience vicarious consumption (as of old), but with the

ability to interact and instantly demonstrate appreciation,

prior knowledge or suggest activities

• Virtual transmedia souvenir created by traveler/performer

and audience

• Blurs performer/audience boundaries

• Linked multiple networks and platforms

(Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Flikr/Pinterest/You Tube/Blog)

• Instant sharing/responses

Synchronous Travelogue

Synchronous Travelogue

• Facilitated by technology

– “Free” Social networks

– Cheap online storage

– Ubiquitous network access (wireless/mobile)

• Evolving social norms

– Sharing thoughts and impressions

– Sharing content

Example from Noting Hill

Carnival 2012

MASQUERADE BAND MEMBER TWEET CONTENT/AUDIENCE

INTERACTION HOW

SHARED

I hope people realise it's the first day of Notting Hill Carnival

next Sunday. twitter.com

Stewards needed for Notting Hill Carnival. Anyone who may

be interested then please let me know. twitter.com

This is my last carnival doing a large costume... Look out for

me if you're heading down Notting Hill. I'll have my phone on

me. :) twitter.com

My costume for Notting Hill Carnival 2012.

http://t.co/Fcxvy3pY PHOTO twitter.com

I think I had the longest eyelashes out of M2K during Notting

Hill Carnival. Loool. blackberry

RT @NatashaTL: Notting Hill Carnival was pretty fun for

most of the day! @M2KMAS is definitely the best band for

costume wearers! I <3 M2K MESSAGE TO FOLLOWER/

BAND MENTION blackberry

Omg. I'm hearing I was dancing with Police Officers

yesterday at Notting Hill Carnival! Why don't I remember

this? Loool. =| blackberry

How can Notting Hill Carnival be 3 days ago already? Omg. I

miss it so much!!! blackberry

Hey @JackieEyewe. Can you send me the pics you took at

Notting Hill Carnival please? x MESSAGE TO FOLLOWER blackberry

Is it bad that I'm planning for Notting Hill Carnival next year

already? twitter.com

Congratulations to my carnival band @M2KMAS! We came

3rd place at Notting Hill Carnival for Sunday and Monday. BAND MENTION twitter.com

Before

On the Road: AM

On the Road: PM

Post Event

Summary

• Travelogues extend the travel experience spatially and

temporally

• HOWEVER, Travel information was mediated by influential

broadcasters

• Now democratised

• No curator or filter

• Immediacy without mediation

Implications

• Need for power, communications infrastructure / mobile

broadband to facilitate synchronicity

• Tourism authorities and providers to supply readymade

narratives (photo opps, local colour, music, culture)

• Monitor networks to identify emergent themes and

legitimize/amplify them