A new kind of travel guide or more of the same ? Wikivoyage and Cambodia

Abstract

Purpose: Given Wikipedia’s size and importance to the world’s information infrastructure, it can be forgotten that there exists under the same Wikimedia Foundation umbrella, a number of other volunteer wikis producing information on a variety of topics and subjects. Little research has been conducted on these offshoots. In this article I examine one of the earliest of these efforts, Wikivoyage, a free wiki-based travel guidebook. Design/methodology/approach: I examine the content of Wikivoyage’s articles on the temples of Angkor, Siem Reap (the tourist gateway to the temples), the introductory page for the country of Cambodia as a whole and a sample of regional Cambodian entries. Textual and discourse analysis is the foundation of this work. Findings: The findings suggest that although Wikivoyage is not currently an exemplar of alternative tourism discourses, it certainly has potential. But that potential can only be realized if those interested in contributing to the site alternative perspectives and discourses take up the task in a sensitive manner and in accordance with the developing editing culture. Originality/value: While conceding that Wikivoyage is currently unlikely to monopolize the guidebook market anytime soon, it is still important to study this social phenomenon both for its own intrinsic interest and to assess its potential for a more enlightened and transformative tourism. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-03-2020-0104