Lorenzo Cantoni | Universita' della Svizzera Italiana (original) (raw)

Papers by Lorenzo Cantoni

Understanding the image of destinations among tourists both offline and online is essential to De... more Understanding the image of destinations among tourists both offline and online is essential to Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) in order to steer their marketing and communication strategies.

This research is based on the analysis of pictorial tourism-related user-generated content from the mainland Chinese social network Sina Weibo, on the subject of “Switzerland” as a tourism destination. It explores the picturesque online representation of the destination.

440 user-generated pictures were analyzed; 46 drivers and 12 themes were discovered as a result in order to draw the destination’s online image. DMOs can find social networks as a useful tool for investigating perceived images of the destination in the eyes of current and potential tourists, and get implications on their future marketing and promotional strategies.

Proceedings of the EuroChrie - Hospitality for a Better World Conference 2012 . Lausanne, Switzerland: Ecole hoteliére de Lausanne. , 2012

This paper introduces an eLearning course offered by a Swiss regional Destination Management Orga... more This paper introduces an eLearning course offered by a Swiss regional Destination Management Organization, and presents the process of its development and evaluation. The development of the platform has been done based on the ADDIE model, which stands for Analyze- Design- Develop- Implement- Evaluate, where each word represents a step in the implementation procedure. The evaluation of the platform was designed in two steps: a usability testing of 8 users (who were asked to speak aloud their thoughts about the training platform); and a survey of users who have followed the course. The evaluation survey of travel agents who have subscribed to “Ticino Switzerland Travel Specialist” course (about 70 respondents) has been built according to D. Kirkpatrick evaluation model of a learning activity.

Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 2018

This study explores the use of eLearning courses created by destination management organizations ... more This study explores the use of eLearning courses created by destination management organizations for education and certification in the travel trade. Phone interviews were conducted with travel agents based in the United Kingdom, India, and New Zealand to identify knowledge upgrade strategies with regard to tourism destinations. The study evaluates the rates of current usage and awareness of eLearning courses about tourism destinations among agents in the three countries.

ELC Research Paper Series, 8, 2014

Elearning offers in the tourism and hospitality sector have been investigated, recently and four ... more Elearning offers in the tourism and hospitality
sector have been investigated, recently and
four main types of courses were identified
according to their provider: Academic,
Destination Management Organizations,
Corporate, and Independent. While for other
types several studies are available, there is a
lack of research when it comes to the online
independent courses. This study focuses on
e-learning courses issued by independent
providers: they include training offers of
very different nature, e.g.: language trainings
for waiters, food and wine matching courses,
sustainability communication training, cooking
for celiac people, etc. The results of this
exploratory study provide an initial map of
such educational offers; it discusses also some
inferential indicators of satisfaction expressed
by the users on social media, which may provide
useful insights for the identification of possible
quality indicators of tourism-related online
independent courses.

Studies in Communication Sciences, 2014

This research explores how tourism-related user-generated content is distributed by topics with r... more This research explores how tourism-related user-generated content is distributed by topics with reference
to the online image of Switzerland as a tourism destination. Main goal of this study is to investigate
online representation of Switzerland by Chinese travelers. Results show that the most mentioned topics
in the Chinese microblogging platform are tourism related products and services. Chinese tourists
express that the destination offers a pleasant atmosphere and a satisfying tourism experience. Moreover,
people express their desire to visit Switzerland, discuss stories they heard from others about traveling to
this country, and share information sources about Switzerland from third parties’ blogs or websites.

Information Technology & Tourism , 2017

Despite the importance of governance processes for destination management and the impact of digit... more Despite the importance of governance processes for destination management and the impact of digital technology on such processes, surprisingly little academic research has explored the use of digital technology to transform public governance in the tourism sector. This conceptual paper fills this gap by conducting a digital government stakeholder analysis for the tourism sector using the digital government evolution model as its theoretical foundation. The analysis identifies six relevant stakeholder groups: governments, businesses, non-profits, citizens, visitors and employees. It examines six types of technology-enabled interactions between government and other stakeholders: and government-to-employee. These interactions are illustrated with real-life examples. The analysis contributes to identifying pressures on tourism authorities and determining how the authorities respond to such pressures, how they innovate their operations and policies with digital technologies, and how these innovations are institutionalized over time. The results contribute to building the theoretical foundations for sector-specific digital government and enable strategic discussion on the use of commercially viable and socially responsible digital innovation to advance the tourism sector.

The topic of access to knowledge and information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Africa ... more The topic of access to knowledge and information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Africa has been intensively discussed in discourses related to the digital divide and democratization. In this vein, this paper addresses the relation between two interconnected representations - virtual and physical - of a very specific African urban context, the city of Douala. In this study, the city is interpreted as a macro-community enacted by micro-communities of practices, which are constituted by people who perform the same commercial or public activity, or who live in the same neighborhood. The study focuses, then, on the analysis of the websites of socio-economic activities which have an online presence and that, thus, are reachable in the virtual realm. By promoting their activities, these websites contribute to constitute the image of the digital Douala. The paper, then, portrays not only on the extension of available information (including both the parts of the city which are extensively represented and the parts that are left in the shadow), but also the micro-communities that have a presence online: who they are, where their online presence is produced, and in which areas of the city they are situated. Outcomes provide an energetic and dynamic picture of the city which define a clear digital divide in-between sectors and areas. While the digital Douala confirms to hold economic and commercial images and narratives, it also presents an irregular and unregulated development and a scarce involvement of the public sector into the social well-being of its inhabitants.

Access to knowledge and information are critical issues in Africa. Previous studies have tackled ... more Access to knowledge and information are critical issues in Africa. Previous studies have tackled barriers to accessing information in Africa, and brought to the forefront aspects such as the lack of physical access to communication technologies, low literacy and digital literacy, and the importance of orality in knowledge production. This paper focuses on the specific case of Douala, the largest city of Cameroon, and the challenges of accessing written and digital information within and about the city itself. Drawing on the results of a recent qualitative study, the paper indicates that limited access to information is conditioned by a substantial lack of tools and infrastructures that can facilitate production and distribution of information about the city amongst its dwellers and outside the city walls. This portrayal is marked by a series of salient aspects emerging from the analysis: (1) the discrepancy between the rich knowledge held and transmitted orally by inhabitants and the scarcity of written information about the city; (2) the rise of digital media over print media as prevalent means of information access; and (3) the growing role of private institutions in information production and distribution. These findings indicate important priorities in dealing with the transition to an information society for Douala as an emblematic case of a developing context marked by poverty and predominance of oral means of knowledge production and distribution.

In this paper the digital Douala is presented. Different business categories of the economic capi... more In this paper the digital Douala is presented. Different business categories of the economic capital of Cameroun have been tracked along the years (from 1989 up to 2013) in order to assess their emergence into the online world. Such an analysis is able to provide a full picture of the digital Douala, and of the process of its digitization from the very beginning up to recent years. Data has been collected and has been analysed and discussed taking into consideration not only the axes of time and of economic activity, but also its origin and spatial distribution, so to provide a vivid picture of a hybrid space in the making. Such a cross-time analysis is of particular relevance not only for research, but also for its policy-making implications.

South African Computer Journal, 2014

This article contributes a theoretical perspective on aspirations and technology in ICT4D researc... more This article contributes a theoretical perspective on aspirations and technology in ICT4D research. The paper draws on the results of a grounded theory study to examine the aspirations for professional development of undergraduate pre-service teachers in South Africa, and the extent to which these are marked by or influence the formation of technology attitudes. It is found that the relations between professional aspirations and attitudes towards technology are fairly complex, and of mutual determination: technology is seen as a capacity enabler, instrumental in helping pre-service teachers fulfil their professional aspirations, which in turn motivates them to understand and integrate technology in their future teaching. The implications of this argument for wider ICT4D scholarship are discussed. Second, the paper argues for the potential of grounded theory as a promising methodological approach for ICT4D research, when the aim is to reveal novel perspectives for the study of relations between technology and development, favouring a local viewpoint.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) is necessary to allow healthcare professionals (like doctors a... more Continuing Medical Education (CME) is necessary to allow healthcare professionals (like doctors and nurses, but also administrators) to be constantly up to date with new knowledge and technologies. The introduction of eLearning in this field raises numerous issues, this research aims to analyze one aspect by answering the following question: “What are the critical strategies to ensure a high acceptance of eLearning in CME activities in hospitals?”. Based on a previous research that identified the prevalent aspects for eLearning adoption in the corporate context (CeLeRI), a literature review was carried out to create a provisory eLearning Readiness Index for the hospital sector (eCMERI). This index could help CME managers to organize and promote eLearning activities and improve the learners' satisfaction.

... Abstract: Il paper presenta un progetto di radio online realizzato da alcune classi di Scuola... more ... Abstract: Il paper presenta un progetto di radio online realizzato da alcune classi di Scuola Elementare della Città di Lugano. ... In particolare, dopo alcuni incontri di formazione e riflessione condotti con la direzione centrale (direttore generale e direttori di zona), il NewMinE Lab ...

Proceedings IDIA - International Development Informatics Conference 2013, At Bangkok, Volume: Public and private access to ICTs in developing regions, Nov 2013

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the reasons why people in Mozambique do not access th... more This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the reasons why people in Mozambique do not access the telecentre component of their local Community Multimedia Centers (CMCs). Based on 229 semi-structured interviews with different local stakeholders in 10 different provinces, and on 328 questionnaires, the analysis allows to depict four main reasons: two of them are related to the respondents: (i) distance, or lack of time and money, and (ii) relevance for them; the other two are related to the telecentre itself: (iii) its lack of competitiveness in front of other strategies to access ICTs and the Internet, and (iv) its limited services or service quality, including a lack of communication of its services to the community. An exploration of demographic attributes among non-users is presented, with specific regards to gender, age group and education level. Actions performed at CMC on behalf of respondents were also investigated, to characterize the linkages with local infomediaries. Furthermore, an in-depth analysis of reasons for non-use was elaborated, highlighting distribution rates of motivations for nonusing telecentres' services. Finally, respondents were profiled in terms of access to technology and the Internet, including the identification of their preferred channels of access.

Proceedings of the EuroChrie - Hospitality for a Better World Conference 2012 . Lausanne, Switzerland: Ecole hoteliére de Lausanne. , 2012

Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 2018

ELC Research Paper Series, 8, 2014

Studies in Communication Sciences, 2014

Information Technology & Tourism , 2017

South African Computer Journal, 2014

Proceedings IDIA - International Development Informatics Conference 2013, At Bangkok, Volume: Public and private access to ICTs in developing regions, Nov 2013

Digital Religion, Social Media and Culture: Perspectives, Practices, Futures. New York: Peter Lang, pp 131 -149., 2012

Proceedings: IFIP WG 9.4: Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries, May 2013

This paper investigates different stakeholders perceptions of the most widespread kind of venues ... more This paper investigates different stakeholders perceptions of the most widespread kind of venues to publicly access ICTs in Mozambique: Community Multimedia Centres. By rooting in the social psychology theory of Social Representations, this study analyzes autodriven photo-elicited interviews (n=103), to users (n=55) and staff members (n=48), across 10 locations within the country. Photo-elicited interviews are explored through photo-taxonomy and qualitative thematic analysis, aided by the Nvivo 9.2 content analysis software. The paper suggests how this data collection technique encouraged interviewees to reflect about what a CMC is and what it should be, while providing important insights about users' and staff members' ideas, values and practices about these venues.

Proceedings: IFIP WG 9.4: Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries, May 2013

As part of the RE-ACT (social REpresentations of community multimedia centres in Mozambique and A... more As part of the RE-ACT (social REpresentations of community multimedia centres in Mozambique and ACTions for improvement) research and development project, this study investigates a method to inform and communicate local perceptions on Community Multimedia Centres in Mozambique to different stakeholders. People who converge at the CMC venue, namely users (n=55) and staff members (n=48), were interviewed across 10 CMC locations in the country. The paper at hand focuses on photo-elicited interviews (n=103), explored through photo-taxonomy and qualitative thematic analysis aided by the Nvivo 9.2 software. User and staff typologies were identified accordingly. The outcome format of "point of view personas" is proposed as a design-oriented tool for research communication.