Sea ferry travel: the tourists’ liminal experience on the ferry

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to explore the tourist’s liminal experience on a ferry and form a conceptual framework of liminal experience in the mobile liminal setting from the perspective of island tourists. Design/methodology/approach To address the purpose of taking the ferry from Zhoushan Island to Sijiao Island in China as the part of research, a qualitative method research design was used, including participatory observation, in-depth interviews and online data from social media. Findings Ferry as a mobile liminal space on the sea provides tourists to experience liminality by perceiving unique time construction, the overlap of physical and figurative space, the sense of liminal community and perceived existential authenticity, embodied spatial practices and perceived liminal benefits and costs under the specific social and cultural contexts. Practical implications This study proposes that tourism planners should strengthen tourists’ liminal experience on the ferry through integrated shipscape planning, including ship space planning, theme design and product development, which can make the ferry to be a meaningful place brand. Originality/value This study not only confirms that taking tourism public transport such as a ferry is a rite of passage for tourists before entering the island destination but also points out that public transport is a tourist attraction with time, space and social meaning for tourists.

Types of gambling: finnish gambling narratives under the lens of systems theory

“…Most of these gambling narratives concerned gambling on the Baltic ferries connecting Finland with Estonia and Sweden. These ferries offer all kinds of entertainment, are known for heavy alcohol drinking and merry-making, and could be considered a prime example of liminality (for a discussion on the ferry in the framework of liminality see Sang and Huang, 2023 ). Gambling on the ferries is obviously not a regular or even weekly gambling activity for the Finnish population (Salonen et al, 2018 ).…”

Family tourists’ emotional responses at world heritage sites (WHSs): the effects of existential authenticity and interpersonal interaction

“…Tourism activities that can create a “liminal space” (e.g. air B&B, or coffeeshop) (Meng and Cui, 2020; Sang and Huang, 2022) or “immersive experience” (e.g. handicraft DIY, watching an art performance, finding the treasure by using mixed reality technology) (Lee and Lee, 2021) might be good marketing strategies for tourists to have their own space even when traveling with family.…”