Using Net-Based Ethnography (Netnography) to Understand the Staging and Marketing of “Authentic African” Dining Experiences to Tourists at Victoria Falls

Restaurants at Victoria Falls leverage electronic technologies to craft and market dining experiences that tourists perceive as authentically African, blending tangible cultural elements with performative participation. This study reveals how online representations of these augmented cultural products—highlighting both materiality and active engagement—shape tourist expectations and experiences. Through netnography, the research analyzes two restaurants' digital strategies and corresponding tourist reviews, demonstrating the power of electronic communication in authenticating and promoting 'eatertainment.' The findings underscore the role of performativity in tourism authenticity, showing how digital platforms facilitate both the staging of cultural products and their validation by tourists.

Mkono, M. (2012). Using Net-Based Ethnography (Netnography) to Understand the Staging and Marketing of “Authentic African” Dining Experiences to Tourists at Victoria Falls. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 37(2), 184–198. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348011425502