Revisiting MacCannell's site sacralization theory as an analytical tool: Historic prophetstown as a case study

Forristal, Linda Joyce; Lehto, Xinran

doi:10.1002/jtr.830

Cited by 7 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Although the analysis will inevitably give an indication of how developed the attraction is, it is primarily a lens through which to tease out the peculiarities of the case. MacCannell’s theory of sight sacralization is not all-encompassing and without criticism (Jacobsen, 1997; Löytynoja, 2008; Forristal et al , 2011); this paper, therefore, does not represent a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon. It highlights original and creative qualities which are worthy of in-depth discussion, and which contribute to the broader discussion of where the future of Arctic tourism is heading.…”

Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…MacCannell’s (1976) theory of sight sacralization aims to locate tourism attractions in their sociological and anthropological contexts (Forristal et al , 2011), and thus reveals the role of society in underlining the importance and authenticity of an attraction (MacCannell, 1976). This is done by breaking down the development of a tourism sight, site or object into the five distinct phases already mentioned.…”

Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Through deconstructing the timeline of a tourism attraction’s development, MacCannell’s framework highlights the importance of societal recognition in the reproduction of an attraction to its eventual success, popularity or status as a desired destination. It is argued that once an attraction has completed its journey through all five phases, it can be considered an attractive destination or successful attraction (Forristal et al , 2011).…”

Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Countering “Arctification”: Dawson City’s “Sourtoe Cocktail”

Cooper

Spinei

Varnajot

2019

JTF

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the Sourtoe Cocktail, a custom in Dawson City, Canada’s Yukon, in which participants drink a shot of alcohol with a dehydrated human toe in it. Springing from a local legend, the thrill-inducing Sourtoe Cocktail has attracted the attention of tourists. The paper reveals insights from this particular case study in order to discuss potential future tourism trends within the Arctic, especially in regard to the development of a sustainable tourism industry. Additionally, it illustrates how local communities can avoid negative effects of “Arctification.” Design/methodology/approach The case study is deconstructed through Dean MacCannell’s (1976) framework of sight sacralization. The Sourtoe Cocktail is analyzed based on the five stages of the framework, which helps to reveal the various elements at play at the local level. The framework specifically highlights linkages between society and the Sourtoe Cocktail as a product in order to understand how it became a tourist attraction. Findings The use of MacCannell’s sight sacralization framework reveals the intricate relationship of the Sourtoe Cocktail to both the Arctic and the local folklore of the Klondike Gold Rush. In addition, it is argued that the activity can serve as an example of avoiding “Arctification” processes for northern communities. Originality/value The originality of the study lies in the application of the sight sacralization framework to an ordinary object – a toe – instead of an object of inherent historical, aesthetic or cultural value. The paper proposes a complementary study to the recommendations provided in the Arctic Tourism in Times of Change: Seasonality report (2019) for the development of sustainable Arctic societies.

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Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: From a Product To An Attraction: Sight Sacralization Of The Sourtoe Cocktailmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Countering “Arctification”: Dawson City’s “Sourtoe Cocktail”

Cooper

Spinei

Varnajot

2019

JTF

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“…While I understand approach as suggestion for how to better understand tourism as an ideological factor in society, earlier applications of MacCannell's approach have emphasized its potential to re-shape tourist attractions in order to make them more economically profitable. For example, Forristal et al (2011) apply the model to improve destinationmarketing strategies:…”

Section: The "Semiotics Of Attraction" and "Site Sacralization" Revismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It can be applied to investigate how socio-economic and cultural meaning interact, for example, in branding principles and practices. Forristal et al (2011) focus on the stage of "framing" as a means to develop destination-marketing tools (p. 573). Here, I will approach the question of "framing" not to evaluate the actual frames in Detroit's tourist settings, but to understand the cultural and economic significance of negotiating the choice and design of "frames."…”

Section: ) (Author's Emphasis)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Tourism aesthetics in ruinscapes: Bargaining cultural and monetary values of Detroit’s negative image

Tegtmeyer¹

2016

Tourist Studies

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Based on the premise that pictures are not only culturally but also economically meaningful in the context of tourism, this article proposes a rearrangement of MacCannell’s model “semiotics of attraction” to discuss current negotiations of meaning of sight/site marking with urban photography. In Detroit, the city’s negative image has changed from ill-reputed urban wasteland to picturesque ruinscape of “America’s Great Comeback City.” Turning the post-industrial shrinking city into a tourist attraction has not resolved socio-economic problems but instead commodified them. Carving out the underlying neoliberal ideology in cultural meaning of urban decline at the example of Detroit’s changed image, this article puts forth to debate in how far tourism shifts from being a leisure activity to being a marketing strategy and what that means for negotiations of cultural values through tourism semiotics, the significance of photography, and the visual in urban tourism, and eventually for the significance of tourism in urban development.

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The making of the Tour de France cycling race as a tourist attraction

Varnajot

2020

World Leisure Journal

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The Tour de France (TDF) cycling race has become the world's biggest annual sporting event. Every July, it attracts approximately 11 million tourists along the roadsides of France, as well as several millions of TV spectators worldwide. Using MacCannell's sight sacralization process, this study examines the gradual development of the TDF as a major economic tourist attraction. By deconstructing how the TDF became a tourist attraction, the goal of this article is to reveal economic and sustainability implications for communities in hosting such a mega event. The article suggests that the TDF, both as a sporting event and a top tourist attraction, represents an opportunity for local development and economies in the form of shortterm peaks in hospitality, direct financial benefits, as well as in the promotion of cycling as a sustainable means of transportation. The study also explores how challenging hosting a stage of the TDF can become in terms of environmental sustainability for remote and rural communities. KeywordsTour de France; sport tourism; bicycle tourism; community development; economic development. Introduction -a prologue from inside the first stage of the 2018 editionSaturday July 7th, 2018, 5:00 am. My brother and I, as well as several thousands of cycling enthusiasts, are driving towards the island of Noirmoutier, on the French Atlantic coast, for the launch of the world's biggest annual sporting event. The Grand Départ (Big Start) of the 105th edition of the TDF cycling race is going to occur in six hours. Every July, the race starts from a different city. Nevertheless, the location of the Grand Départ's hosting city does not matter, since every July the same ritual happens for thousands of cycling enthusiasts: a pilgrimage towards the start of the world's most popular cycling race. The closer we get to Noirmoutier, the more we find ourselves surrounded by other aficionados, coming by car, bike, or RV, alone, with friends or family, from France or abroad. After an hour of driving, there we are, amid the bustle that generates the TDF. All around are swarms of supporters from different countries, waving flags, and also journalists, teams' members, sponsors, and official representatives, as well as members from the various companies that work for the TDF. This is a hive of activity and part of the excitement. This enthusiasm also springs from memories from our childhood, when our parents took us to the Pyrénées almost every year in our family RV, so we could assist the mountain stages and support the riders that were at the time our heroes. The excitement from the tumult of such a sporting event combined with the reminiscence of childhood memories led to an intense passion for the TDF and cycling in general. About twenty minutes prior to the long-awaited start, the first riders are lining-up under the departure arch (Figure 1). Similarly, the first journalists with their cameras are approaching, getting ready for the live broadcast. We are situated right next to that arch, front row behind the fences; ...

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Revisiting MacCannell's site sacralization theory as an analytical tool: Historic prophetstown as a case study

Cited by 7 publications

References 18 publications

Countering “Arctification”: Dawson City’s “Sourtoe Cocktail”

Countering “Arctification”: Dawson City’s “Sourtoe Cocktail”

Tourism aesthetics in ruinscapes: Bargaining cultural and monetary values of Detroit’s negative image

The making of the Tour de France cycling race as a tourist attraction

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