Liminality in nature-based tourism experiences as mediated through social media

Abstract

The intersection between social media, liminality and nature-based tourism experiences hasn’t been the focus of previous tourism research. Such intersection, on the other hand, is illustrative of how social media relate to the constitution and performance of tourism spatialities, tourist identities, storytelling and place-making, and can lead to relevant theoretical contributes. We aim to investigate how liminality is expressed in relation to nature-based experiences by tourists on social media, and what role social media plays in mediating liminality during nature-based tourism experiences. The analysis is based on a participatory netnography of images and text posts, as well as online interviews with users of the popular social media Instagram. Findings show that the expression of tourism experiences in nature is closely related to specific notions of liminal otherness as opposed to the urban life and the everyday, where nature and wilderness are expressed as related to the genuine, the authentic and a true inner self. Creative combinations of pictures, captions and hashtags make it easier for tourists to express the contrast between the natural landscape and the everyday landscape once they returned home. These combinations also relate closely to performances of resistant and alternative selves and communities. At the same time, such performances are mediated and contested between freedom of self-expression, surveillance and social norms, an aspect that makes their liminal nature ambiguous.     

Communitas in fright tourism

Abstract

Liminality offers an explanation of the threshold one passes through as they enter a tourist destination. Beginning with the anticipation phase of the experience a tourist travels to a destination for an on-site experience. Multiple thresholds occur for the tourist, yet during the periods prior to the actual event, motivations will likely draw or repel the individual. For dark tourism research none have reviewed these liminal experiences in fright tourism, the more entertaining and lighter aspect of the dark elder. To better understand the anticipation stage of the liminal experience, the influence of fear while entering a haunted attraction is explored. Fear is expected to contribute to the fun of these haunted attractions. During this liminal phase, communitas evolve where the social bonding of the visitors develops during the encounter. Characteristics of these groups are examined in this exploratory study.     

An irreconcilable first-place: the precarious life of tourism and heritage in a southern European historic centre

Abstract

This article discusses the ambiguous relationship between heritage tourism and everyday life in the historic centre of Naples. This area, long characterised by a lower-class residential population and intermittently considered off-limits to tourists, has over the last two decades become the focus of a burgeoning heritage tourism industry. The article adopts the idea of precariousness – understood contra conventional formulations as a condition that elicits both anxiety and emancipatory release – in order to make sense of the allure and repulsion that the historic centre exerts in tourist encounters with the city. Through three examples – a bus sightseeing tour, online responses to a New York Times article about Naples and local people’s perceptions of a pedestrianised piazza as a tourist contact zone – the article illustrates how the historic centre as a tourist destination is constituted by a mix of foreboding and excitement; where affective experience tends to trump the monumental gaze. Thinking in terms of precariousness not only underlines the contradictory role that this area plays in the local production of cultural heritage but also poses a challenge to those accounts that see in the advent of a visitor economy the inevitable ‘museumification’ and gentrification of historic centres.     

遗产旅游真实性理解差异与遗产地管理

不同的利益相关者对遗产旅游真实性的理解存在差异,游客、居民、旅游经营者对遗产旅游真实性理解差异较大,并且有着各自的利益诉求.本文从遗产旅游与真实性的概念剖析入手,分析与比较和利益相关者的真实性概念理解差异,以及这种理解差异造成的遗产旅游地发展恶性循环,探讨了如何通过构建真实性的手段来管理遗产旅游地.     

基于文化意象视角的宗教遗产地旅游文化内涵挖掘——以五台山为例

随着旅游体验方式转变,挖掘文化内涵为游客塑造高峰旅游体验成为必然趋势。中国是一个宗教旅游资源丰富的大国,宗教遗产旅游作为一种具有深刻文化内涵的专项旅游产品,文化内涵的挖掘和传承是开发的核心。但目前宗教遗产地普遍存在着遗产文化内涵展示不足,深厚的文化内涵和较高的审美价值未能为游客所感知。凝练遗产旅游地的文化意象,将其"活化","可视化"成为必然。以佛教文化为主的宗教旅游成为五台山旅游的根本,"文殊五台,智慧舞台"的文化意象成为五台山宗教遗产地的主题统领。五台山佛教文化遗产地的文化内涵挖掘必须在此主题下展开和进行。     

Pilgrimage and tourism: Cathedral visiting in contemporary England

Abstract

This paper examines the role of cathedral visiting in contemporary England. It highlights the importance of cathedrals to the tourism economy and also considers the issue of the commercialisation of heritage within cathedrals and the difficulties posed for cathedral authorities in contrasting perceptions of visitors as tourists and pilgrims. The issue of pilgrimage is examined through the results of a survey of the experiences and attitudes of eight hundred visitors to four English cathedrals. It is suggested that the tension between tourism and pilgrimage is not as great as might be expected and that experience of visiting a cathedral can engender a sense of pilgrimage in the tourist     

旅游吸引物符号的双层表意结构与体验真实性研究

把罗兰·巴特关于语言符号的双层表意结构运用到旅游研究中来,可以发现旅游吸引物符号实际上也包含一个双层表意结构。不同形式的能指和所指搭配形成了旅游吸引物符号系统。符号的双层表意结构揭示了旅游体验过程中旅游者对不同类型旅游吸引物符号的能指(旅游客体)和所指(旅游者心理或行为模式)的不同真实性期待。本文在对不同类型旅游吸引物符号的结构特征进行分析的基础上,尝试性地构建了旅游体验真实性的概念体系:"客观主义"的真实性、"文化附会"的真实性、"主题文本"的真实性、"行为模式"的真实性、"享乐主义"的真实性以及"主客一体"的真实性。     

Talking to others: analysing tourists’ communications on cultural heritage experiences

In the area of cultural heritage, tourists’ experiences emphasise not only the moment and its personal nature but also socio-cultural traits. These experiences when expressed (social communications) are an important gateway to knowledge about tourists’ sense-making processes. This paper reports on the mediation between tourists and heritage sites via comments on a digital platform (TripAdvisor) about two Spanish tourist destinations with opposing characteristics and four heritage sites, which are analysed. The methodology used seeks to transcend the individual and anecdotal aspects of tourists’ comments. Indeed, the results obtained show the relevance of the humanisation and the discursive weight of heritage contexts in emotional/personal stories. Tendencies observed in non-regulated contexts confirm the role of a complex negotiation at cultural heritage sites and highlight the need to explore possible exchanges of sense in tourists’ encounters with such sites.     

遗址公园:文化遗产体验旅游开发的新业态——以西安三大遗址公园为例

遗址公园是旅游与文化结合的旅游新业态。遗址公园模式需要活化遗产,不同的遗产赋存状况,遗产活化的途径是不同的,同时不同的遗产赋存状况,遗产原真性体验也是不同的,大唐芙蓉园是遗产原真性弱景区,应该打造结构性真实体验;阿房宫遗址和大明宫遗址属于遗产原真性一般景区,采取保护修复,旅游利用,需营造组织构建、真情参与的结构真实体验,划分核心区、外围区分区经营,重点保护核心遗产。     

Dark tourism and moral disengagement in liminal spaces

Abstract

Dark tourism, which deploys taboo subjects and commercially exploits the macabre, has always raised moral conflicts at a collective and individual level while providing new spaces in which morality is communicated, reconfigured and revitalized. Although earlier studies in dark tourism have focused upon the collective notions of morality with a considerable amount of discussion on the comprehension and the manner in which the history and information of dark tourist attractions are presented for tourist consumption, the individual differences of tourist morality and how tourists morally engage with death and its various forms of representation, has been neglected. In order to understand morally transgressive behavior displayed by tourists at emotionally sensitive or controversial sites and the various ways they justify their actions, the narratives of international tourists who are interested in death-related rituals at a cremation ground in India were collected and analyzed. Drawing upon a socio-cognitive theory, the moral mechanisms involved in tourist judgment towards photography of death-related rituals are discussed. It was observed that the cremation ground offers a liminal space for tourists to exercise their moral agency in an inhibitive form, as well as proactive form and that transgressive behavior among tourists is likely if they disengage from processes related to moral conduct using various moral disengagement mechanisms. This behavior arises due to an obscuring and fragmentation of human agency during moral disengagement thereby making it possible for tourists to not take ownership of the consequences of their actions.     

Liminality at-sea: cruises to nowhere and their metaworlds

Abstract

The concept of liminality informs the experience of tourism, yet little is known about how liminality is performed in the context of ‘cruises to nowhere’ that sacrifice terrestrial destinations for endless ‘seascapes’ of liminality. Fuelled by alcohol, round-the-clock parties and endless buffets, cruises to nowhere are an increasingly popular addition to the Southern African cruising season. Understood through a sample of South African based multi-day ocean-going cruises without a destination, results take literally the notion that tourist liminality involves boundary crossing into the unknown on the limitless horizon of the high seas. Using netnographic methods, boundary crossings are traced through the intended and practiced activities on-board cruise-to-nowhere experiences. Involving a mix of sun, sea, sex and especially alcohol, cruises to nowhere engineer the destination-free seascape as a liminoid playground. Reflecting on South African-based cruises to nowhere offered during the southern hemisphere summer cruising season, the findings of this research call for a more deliberate focus on the liminal aspects of ship-based tourism. At the same time, conclusions chart a course for what may be termed debauchery tourism. Building from work in cruise tourism geographies, alcotourism and party tourism, findings do not intend to moralise debaucherous shipboard tourism, but rather to explore the liminal setting of the cruise ship and the sea where cruises to nowhere offer round-the-clock drinking and partying as a liminal destination in and of itself.     

Performance and visitors’ perception of authenticity in eco-cultural tourism

ABSTRACT

With the increasing commodification of cultural heritage induced by tourism development, the perception of a ‘real’ travel experience often depends on what is defined as authentic, original and local. Visitors are becoming increasingly concerned about the authenticity of eco-cultural tourism practices when they visit culturally and environmentally remote regions. The purpose of this study is to examine the role performance plays in visitors' perception of authenticity of eco-cultural tourism experiences. Various theoretical foundations and aspects of visitors' perceptions of authenticity in cultural heritage tourism are considered. A grounded theory approach based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with several categories of visitors including 25 clients from two eco-tours in South and Central Kazakhstan and 29 Free Independent Travellers (FITs) was adopted to identify visitors' perception of authenticity of various aspects of their tourism experiences and the attributes of the visitors' performative aspects of their travels. Results reveal that the performative aspects contributing to the perceived authenticity of the visitors' eco-cultural experiences are spontaneous, existential and reciprocal relationships with their hosts in intimate tourism encounters. The findings contribute to literature regarding authenticity and cultural heritage tourism by exploring new directions in which to apply the concept of authenticity in eco-cultural tourism experiences and by theorising the link between performance-based touristic space and the perception of authenticity. This space becomes a basis for interaction and social exchange within the host–guest relationship.     

Heritage and gastronomy: The pursuits of the ‘new tourist’

Abstract

The main thrust of this text is to acknowledge the relationship between gastronomy and heritage as a key motivator for travel. Gastronomy, as a central part of culture, and its influence on other aspects of culture has received scant recognition from the academic world generated by tourism. Gastronomy, heritage and tourism are old friends; the relationship between them is mutually parasitic. Gastronomy's role as a cultural force in developing and sustaining heritage tourism is addressed, as is its increasing role as a catalyst in enhancing the quality of the tourist experience. Today's consumers’ search for an individual lifestyle is changing tourism and the ‘new tourist’ is using the holiday for acquiring insight into other cultures. Recent research and current market trends are examined to reveal the increasing significance of gastronomy to holiday choice. It is argued that gastronomy brings culture and cultures together. Place and setting enhance the food experience and arguably vice‐versa. Heritage and gastronomy combined make for an excellent marriage of tourist resources. The text argues that this combination is both used and viewed by the tourist. As such the tourist becomes engaged in cultural heritage to a deeper level.     

遗产地旅游者旅游动机差异的成因分析——以九寨沟、峨眉山和青城山三个世界遗产地为例

本文针对不同类别遗产地旅游者的旅游动机进行研究,通过对九寨沟、峨眉山和青城山三个世界遗产地旅游者的问卷调查,从遗产地旅游者旅游动机的要素和维度、旅游动机各要素之间的相关性、旅游者特征和旅游者了解遗产地景区的信息渠道对旅游者动机的影响几个方面展开分析,阐释了不同类别遗产地旅游者旅游动机的差异及其生成原因。     

战争纪念馆游客旅游动机对体验的影响研究——以南京大屠杀纪念馆为例

本文设计了“学习及好奇”、“责任与义务”、“社会因素”、“个人情感体验”、“教育体验”5个潜变量,构建了战争纪念馆游客旅游动机对体验影响的结构关系模型,并以国家4A级旅游区南京大屠杀纪念馆为例,探讨了此类旅游动机对体验的作用机理。研究结果表明：（1）“责任与义务”是游客访问战争纪念馆的主要动机,也是与传统旅游的根本区别之一,与“个人情感体验”及“教育体验”有较高的路径系数（0．97,0．48）;（2）被动地参观战争纪念馆不利于游客体验的提高,从市场营销角度看,应该强调游客积极主动的参与,强调游客“责任与义务”方面的动机;（3）游客参观南京大屠杀纪念馆几乎没有对死亡感兴趣的动机,因此战争纪念馆旅游不完全属于黑色旅游研究范畴;（4）旅游动机及体验是区分特殊兴趣旅游的主要标志,未来需从特殊兴趣旅游（如战争纪念馆旅游）角度进一步探索旅游体验的本质。     

Experiencing Dracula's homeland

ABSTRACT

Transylvania has not only a geographical location as a province of Romania but also a mental meaning as Dracula's land. Dracula has become an important brand name for Romania, attracting many tourists in recent years – especially after the fall of communism. The main dimensions of Dracula's castle (i.e. Bran Castle) experiences shared online by tourists were identified to ascertain the primary reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction with visits and to test whether narratives and satisfaction vary according to the occasion (i.e. Halloween). Quantitative (i.e. computer-based) and qualitative (i.e. narrative) content analyses were conducted on the Web reviews written by visitors. The results reveal that the experiences are multidimensional, and they include the following themes: ‘castle’, ‘visit’, ‘Dracula’, ‘inside’, ‘tourist’, ‘outside’, ‘trip’, ‘souvenirs’, ‘stairs’ and ‘Dracula's castle’. The main reasons for dissatisfaction are overcrowding, which is connected with the outside theme, and the disappointment of tourists regarding the old furniture, which is associated with the inside theme. The results also reveal that visitors are the most satisfied with their experience around the time of Halloween. The narratives shared online emphasise tourists’ need to associate their imaginings with this region and castle, giving their experiences greater meaning through this destination's image as Transylvania.     

Tourism and cultural encounters in ‘the last frontiers’

Host-guest encounters often play a key role within tourist experiences of culture and heritage. However, these encounters have increasingly been seen to shape and negatively influence local culture. In his report from early 2011, Shackel presents an example of the cultural encounter between local residents and one-day tourists arriving to the Eastern Greenlandic village of Kulusuk. While much of his account revolves around the covert resistance of locals, he also critically addresses the validity of authentic tourist experiences. This brief note attempts to elaborate on the concept of authenticity, and suggests some issues to consider when discussing tourist experiences, local resistance and future tourism developments in a place like Kulusuk.     

The aeromobile tourist gaze: understanding tourism ‘from above’

ABSTRACT

While the impact of aeromobility on the growth of tourism and its destinations is well documented, the role of aeromobility in the process of experiencing and shaping place with specific regard to tourist destinations has received little attention from scholars. With the growth of commercial aviation and the increasingly mundane nature of the experience within mass tourism, I draw attention to the touristic experience of flying as the activity beyond its role in arriving at the destination. After a brief review of the genealogy of aeromobility and tourism, I reflect on examples of tourist aeromobility in Cape Town, South Africa in order to theorise the aeromobile tourist gaze. This paper analyses mobile testimonies from online travel reviews from airborne tourists performing helicopter ‘flips’ over Cape Town. Results highlight the need to focus on flying as tourism itself while they illustrate the role it plays in the aeromobile tourist gaze, a unique perspective and experience of the tourism destination as ‘tourism from above’ that emerges from the touristic dimensions of flight including the destination, the flying device and flight route. The findings underscore the role of flying-as-tourism. The aeromobile tourist gaze thus spectacularises the destination and disrupts the relationship between tourists and place.     

基于体验旅游的景区廊道空间设计

旅游的本质是追求心理的愉悦体验[1],旅游景区实际是为旅游者创造和提供体验舞台、体验道具进而使其达到不同的体验效果的地理空间。基于体验效用差异,景区廊道空间扮演了体验的引导作用,其廊道空间体验类型包括推进型和对比型两类;借用旅游体验场理论和形式美学理论,对景区廊道空间设计着重应从旅游审美主体的五官功能感受入手,尤其是视觉和听觉体验设计;在具体设计时还应注意体验主题、景区资源和游客主体体验经验差异的影响。