Affordance Design for Mitigating Digital Vulnerability in Smart Tourism

Abstract

The digital divide remains a significant challenge in smart tourism, intensifying the digital vulnerability of diverse user groups. This research note redefines digital vulnerability in smart tourism as a dynamic and context-dependent phenomenon, expanding beyond the traditional demographic-based definition. It identifies multiple potentially digitally vulnerable groups and underscores the particularly complex vulnerabilities faced by senior tourists and international tourists, such as interface complexity, cultural unfamiliarity, and insufficient digital support. Leveraging affordance theory, we conceptualize inclusive design strategies tailored to diverse user needs, skills, and cultural contexts. This human-centered approach offers practical directions for designing equitable smart tourism experiences and calls for further research into affordance-driven solutions to bridge the digital divide.