Neurotechnologies applied to tourism: from the epistemic contribution to the ethical risk

• Date: 25 June 2024
• Pages: 88-100
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-12-2023-0284
• Published date: 25 June 2024
• Subject Matter: Economics,Social economics
• Author: José Luis López González

Neurotechnologies applied to

tourism: from the epistemic

contribution to the ethical risk

Jos

e Luis L

opez Gonz

alez

Department of Philosophy and Sociology, University Jaume I,

Castell

on de la Plana, Spain

Abstract

Purpose –This paper critiques the scope of neurotechnologies in signif‌icantly expanding the

epistemologicalf‌ield of tourism and warns of their potential to underminethe cognitive capacity of tourists to

act responsiblyand responsively.

Design/methodology/approach –This study explores the intersections of neurotechnologies and

tourism throughan analysis that entails a two-step process: f‌irstly, identifyingkey themes and debates within

neurotourism literature;secondly, critically evaluating these discussions through the lensesof social tourism

theory and neuroethics.

Findings –Firstly, the work questions the potential of neurotechnologies to signif‌icantly expand

epistemological boundariesconcerning a perennial question in tourism studies: namely, the goal pursued by

tourists. Secondly, the paper introduces the framework of an ethics of neurotourism, which can aid in

developing the ethical research agendaon neurotechnologies applied to tourism. This framework is used to

argue that one of the key risks associated with the use of neurotechnologies in tourism is their capacity to

encouragenon-responsive and non-responsible tourist behaviour.

Originality/value –Both due to the traditional lack of interest in philosophy in tourism and the pro-

business orientation of the tourism academy, criticalstudies on the relationship between neurotechnologies

and tourism are limited. The primary contribution of this work is to underscore that the implementation of

neurotechnologies in tourismnot only has the potential to foster non-responsible behaviourby undermining

tourists’cognitivecapacities to act responsibly,but also can diminish their responsiveness.In a neural context

where tourists may already exhibit a reduced inclination towards moral engagement, this reduction in

responsivenesscan be particularly signif‌icant.

Keywords Neurotechnologies, Tourism, Ethics, Responsible, Responsive, Neurotourism

Paper type Conceptual paper

Introduction

The realm of tourism has long been celebratedfor its positive imagery, historically evading

close moral scrutiny despite its association with virtues such as hospitality (Bell, 2009),

aspirational ideals like peace (Wohlmuther and Wintersteiner, 2013), recognition as a

mechanism of social connectedness (Gössling et al.,2018), and as a pathway to local

development (Nunkoo,2015). However, the undeniable truth is that tourism has evolved into

a source of complex predicaments,which demands a shift away from its casual trivialization

This work was supported by the Ministry of Universities (Spain) under the Margarita Salas Grant

MGS/2022/14, and by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain) under grant PID2022-139000OB-

C22 for the research project “Cordial Bioethics and Algorithmic Democracy for a Hyperdigitalized

Society.”

IJOES

41,1

88

Received17 December 2023

Revised29 January 2024

25March 2024

15May 2024

Accepted26 May 2024

InternationalJournal of Ethics and

Systems

Vol.41 No. 1, 2025

pp. 88-100

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2514-9369

DOI 10.1108/IJOES-12-2023-0284

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