The passionate use of mobiles phones among tourists

As technology becomes more available and affordable, consumers get increasingly absorbed in and reliant on technology, becoming passionate users. This trend is also observed in the field of tourism. The development of travel-related apps, free WI-FI spots, QR codes and augmented reality applications are a few examples of how consumers use mobile phones to enhance their travel experiences. By making use of on exploratory data analysis approach, the study combines the concept of passion and affective states derived by mobile phone usage while traveling. The study identifies three types of users based upon emotions towards mobile phones. Among the three clusters a visible relationship with passion is detected. This study illustrates the psychological processes underlying mobile phone usage affecting the overall tourist experience. This study supports marketers designing mobile-enhanced tourist experiences for different mobile phone users.