Online Hosts’ Storytelling Strategies: A Narrative Analysis of Mindfulness-Themed Airbnb Online Experiences

Although virtual tours and online tourism experiences have been developed with technological advancement and COVID-19 lockdowns, knowledge gaps exist to systematically conceptualize online tourism experiences and clarify online hosts’ storytelling strategies. Drawing upon theatrical theory, this study aims to conceptualize the online tourism experience and online hosts’ storytelling strategies. Our research setting is mindfulness-themed online experiences via Airbnb Online Experiences. A total of 186 online hosts were analyzed with narrative analysis. This study proposed three frameworks: (1) a performer-stage-audience model for online tourism experiences, (2) a longitudinal perspective on hosts’ storytelling strategies on the stage, and (3) a systematic view of online hosts’ storytelling strategies. The conceptual work offers important insights for the academy and relevant industries.