CIS 720 Seminar – Interdisciplinary research on tea tourism and social media with Joannie Pan (Geography) and Prof. Wayne Buente (Communications)

Please join us at the CIS 720 seminar from 4:30-5:30pm on Monday, 9/13, as we will welcome Joannie Pan and Prof. Wayne Buente to talk about their interdisciplinary research on tea tourism and social media.

 

Image of Dr. Wayne Buente Image of Joannie Pan
Dr. Wayne Buente Joannie Pan

Abstract:

In this presentation, we will speak to the process of a tea tourism and social media study and manuscript submission to The Routledge Handbook of Tea Tourism. The manuscript was accepted with minor revision and is currently being revised for resubmission this month. Below is an abstract of our chapter:

Instagram has a highly visual culture that conveys meanings through photographs, with values, ideas, and cultural associations embedded in the visual posts and profile pages. While the role of social media in tourism marketing is actively explored, there is limited research still on brand-generated stories and the use of storytelling with destination marketing and branding. Through two case studies of tea brands, this chapter explores the question of how Instagram has facilitated storytelling and marketing experiences of the brands throughout the multi-stage tourism experience. Instagram posts from April 2020 to April 2021 (n=211; nr=29), and semi-structured interviews (n=5) with the business owners and staff were collected for content and thematic analysis. Key findings suggest that the two tea businesses value marketing, education, and community conversation; storytelling is vital in the tea industry where tea brands focus on the experiential nature of tea drinking; and tea influencers provide significant contribution toward improving Instagram engagement for the brands. Our evaluation of the two case studies’ experience and business adaptations during the pandemic offers insights into the concept of virtual tea tours and the role of tea influencers in branding tea tourism destinations and services. (Co-authored by Joan Pan and Dr. Wayne Buente)

 

Bios:

Joannie Pan is a human geographer and PhD candidate in the Dept. of Geography and Environment. Her dissertation research is on tea enthusiasts and the specialty tea industry in North America. She arrived at geography from an interdisciplinary background in study and work experience in public health and workplace well-being. Joannie is currently the instructor for GEO 352 Geography of Japan at UHM.

Wayne Buente is a Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, School of Communications. He is the Graduate Chair of the School of Communications Master’s program in Communication. Wayne also serves as an Investigator with the Pacific Island Partnership for Cancer Health Equity (PIPCHE) and is a faculty affiliate with the Center on Aging. His research examines the interplay between society and information and communication technologies (ICTs).

 

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