Memorable Tourist Experiences in Authentic Vicos, Peru (original) (raw)
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Authenticity as a concept in tourism research
This article discusses the uses of the concept of authenticity in tourism studies. In line with the constructivist perspective which aims to transcend the binary distinction between the authentic and inauthentic as found in the concept of authenticity, it is suggested that this binary dichotomy also has to be overcome in the approaches to the tourist role. If authenticity can be linked to an experience of collective identifications made by the individual, the point can be made that insights from studies of ritual and social performances will be fertile in analysing how such experiences are constituted in social processes. This processual approach may then reveal how authenticity is influenced by subjective and collective views on consensus, creativity and existentialism in the tourist role.
The pursuit of authenticity in tourist experiences: the case of Siem Reap-Angkor, Cambodia
2011
This thesis examined the similarities and differences between the guided and non-guided tourists in their pursuit of authentic experiences at the Angkor World Heritage Site in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Angkor was registered in 1992 as one of the UNESCO's World Heritage properties. Angkor is currently regarded as a national iconic tourist attraction and the South East Asia's top tourist destination. More importantly, it was the world's most recommended UNESCO's World Heritage Site, according to the TripAdvisor's (2010) survey. Guided by Wang's (1999) typology of authenticity, the study explored questions regarding the rationale behind tourists' decision to opt for guided or non-guided visits or holidays, examined the notions of authenticity viewed by guided and non-guided tourists, and analysed whether the two types of tourists pursued authentic experiences. Insights into these issues enabled analysis of authentic experiences pursued by tourists in the light of Wang's (1999) typology. In addressing these research questions, the study sought to assess the importance and implications of the long-established concept of authenticity in tourist experiences. This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews of 30 guided tourists, 27 non-guided tourists, and 12 registered tour guides who were selected based on convenience and purposive samplings. They were also asked to provide demographic information about themselves and their trip characteristics. The findings of the research indicated that although the tourists conjured up similar notions of authenticity, many of them had not heard about the concept as applied to tourism before the interviews. While there were similarities between the guided and non-guided tourists in terms of their experiences, an important difference was that the former chose to be guided due to their desire for knowledge-based authenticity or cool authenticity, which is consistent with Wang's (1999) objective authenticity, while the latter did not choose to be guided because of their strong determination for freedom and self-regulation. The study found that the tourists" choice of a particular mode of visit (guided or non-guided) was only partially due to their pursuit of authenticity as there are other, sometimes more compelling, reasons for their decisions which were not relevant to the search of authentic experiences. From the discussion, the study concluded that the typologies of authenticity as developed by Wang (1999) were inadequate in explaining the experiences of guided and non-guided tourists as what tourists finally consume is imaginary authenticity or the representation of imaginary peoples, places, and pasts. The study also identified theoretical implications and proposed possible avenues for future studies.
Research in Hospitality Management Understanding memorable tourism experiences: A case study
Research in Hospitality Management, 2018
The desire for new experiences that are truly authentic has become an important mainstream in the tourism industry. The main goal of this empirical case study was twofold: 1) To determine which concept of authenticity in tourism literature is most connected to Pine and Gilmore's theory on the search for authenticity in the context of the experience economy; and 2) after its application, to reflect on the scale of Kim et al.'s that measures memorable tourism experiences (MTEs). That scale was applied to Dutch tourists who visited the tourism destination Ylläs in Finnish Lapland during winter. This case study strengthens the idea that the increasing search for authentic tourism products within the experience economy does not imply a search for authenticity related to genuine artefacts alone. It also implies the search for constructed authenticity within existing, genuine places such as Ylläs. This outcome surprisingly fits Bruner's theory on genuine border zones and with that, asks for more large-scale research on the concept of authenticity in genuine border zones. Finally, based on the reflection of the scale, it suggests to do more research on different tourist types in relation to domains that influence the memorability of tourism experiences.
2008
The subject of authenticity has often been researched in tourism studies, more specifically in the field of budget travel and backpacking. It has frequently been stated that authenticity is a key travel motivation for budget travellers. However, researchers differ on the interpretation of authenticity. In this study it is proposed that budget travellers can experience different forms of authenticity and therefore a distinction is made between experiencing (constructive) authenticity and having an authentic (or existential) experience. This study attempts to uncover the impact that abovementioned experiences have on the budget travellers’ tourist experience. In the process, the ways in which to experience authenticity or have an authentic experience are al so discussed.
Interpretations of authenticity in tourism
Ever since MacCannell 1 first emphasized the key role authenticity plays in tourism, it has been an important topic in sociologic studies, resulting in various theories attempting to explain the term in the context of the tourism science. It became even more central with the emergence of the experience economy. Companies of various sectors are trying to brand their products as authentic ("Authentic Watches", "Annette -the authentic Moroccan restaurant in Sofia", "Vans Authentic"). The trend is most evident in tourism, with a huge number of destinations being branded as authentic. This paper tries to outline the basic developments, as well as the recent trends in authenticity as manifested in tourism theory and practice.
A Pathway for the New Generation of Tourism Research
2017
The article presents the empirical research results of the authenticity perception of archaeological festival visitors and its connections with the general assessment of the festival. The study was conducted among visitors of XV Archaeological Festival in Biskupin (Poland). Three types of authenticity were distinguished: objectivist/essentialist, constructivist/negotiated and existential. As a result of the survey conducted among visitors (N = 405) four hypotheses were verified. No association was found between socio-demographic characteristics and the perception of authenticity. The influence of authenticity importance on authenticity was found. The author also found the association of authenticity perception with the quality assessment of the festival, and association of the overall quality assessment with visitors’ behavioural intentions. keYWoRDs Authenticity, Archaeological Festival, Quality, Visitors, Behavioural Intentions.
Leisure Experience and Authenticity
2009
I n t e r n a t i o n a l J o u r n a l o f M a n a g e m e n t C a s e s 618 619 I n t e r n a t i o n a l J o u r n a l o f M a n a g e m e n t C a s e s