Tourism culture: Nexus, characteristics, context and sustainability

Abstract

defined, and what implications can be drawn from in relation to sustainability (see Figure 1). 23Tourism culture can be seen as a product of the melange of host and guest cultures that 24 occurs in a destination, resulting in a new and distinctive emergent culture, in turn shaped by 25 2 and shaping the local tourism context. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of host-26 guest interactions and the outputs to emerge from these, using tourism culture as a lens to do 27 so. It is proposed that this alternative perspective might synthesise and complement various 28 conceptual narratives within the tourism literature, and can be used to encourage a more 29 holistic, nuanced and potentially positive evaluation of tourism outputs. 30It appears that both hosts and guests are mutually affected by their tourism 31 involvements. Tourism is widely associated with cultural influence upon and at times fusion in the industry (Sindga, 1996). With these recognised as factors in more sustainable forms of Tourism Culture Nexus 81Tourism culture may best be seen as a nexus between host culture and guest culture (see 82 Figure 3). On the one hand host culture is that which is indigenous to a locale: its particular 83 arts and crafts, language, traditional roles, festivals, and ways of doing things (Tsartas, 1992; 84 Simpson, 1993;Tapper, 2001;Smith, 2009). In the case of small islands, these often host 85 unusually rich and distinctive cultures due to their relative isolation. This must be adapted to 103It is the interplay between these two cultures which could be seen as the creation, (Picard, 1997;. 109Tourism potentially becomes over time a part of everyday life (Sindiga, 1996), an authentic 110 demonstration (Cohen, 1988) and integral part of local landscapes and identity (Lim and Evans, 1975, cited in Smith, 1976 for example, defines the potential for tourism stimulated 137 interactions to enrich the knowledge of hosts and guests about each other. Outputs such as 138 higher levels of economic entrepreneurship may be stimulated as a result (see Boissevain, 139 1979;Brown, 1998; Brown and Hall, 2000). Lastly, the potential of tourism to revitalise, reinterpret, recreate and create meaning is 158 raised. Alongside a demonstration effect, what could be described as an 'attention effect' may 159 be stimulated, whereby indigenous communities are motivated by outsider interest to explore, 160 revive and reinterpret traditional aspects of local identity (i.e. Stronza and Gordillo, 2008).

Narcissism normalisation: tourism influences and sustainability implications

“…Sustainability also requires creative solutions to the challenges therein (Tao & Wall, 2009), and sophisticated planning processes to implement and manage (Marcouiller, 1997). Stemming as these do from proximity and collaboration (Canavan, 2016;Go & Govers, 2000;Hardy & Beeton, 2001), narcissism risks undermining these processes because entitlement and exploitation will likely contribute to anti-social actions, superficial, detached, transitory and even hostile relationships.…”

“…Canavan, 2013). These pleasurable and mutually rewarding experiences illustrate the potential for tourism to bring people together; at times in profound and long-lasting ways (Canavan, 2016). Such intimacy is important to countering narcissism.…”

“…Without opportunities for deeper involvement in cultural and natural landscapes or more meaningful exchanges between stakeholders, the commitment to and co-creation of sustainability initiatives (i.e. Canavan, 2016;Suntikul & Jachna, 2016) may be lost.…”

“…Narcissistic exploitation, entitlement and exhibitionism may henceforth be readily indulged through tourism. Yet tourism is also a source of intimacy, community and contentment (see Brown, 2013;Canavan, 2016;Cohen, 2011) which can act as counter-balances to these components of narcissism (Golomb, 1995;Twenge & Campbell, 2009). As such tourism may both contribute to and counteract narcissism normalisation.…”

Applying the Holistic Conceptual Conservation Framework for Sustainable Tourism

“…Stakeholders from tourist companies to locals within the tourism system can more accurately discern the human effects on nature through thoughtful contemplation. Macro reflection and planning can drive solutions by drawing together various conceptual narratives within the tourism studies literature for comprehensive problems that previously were addressed fractionally in the research and thus leaving a gap (Canavan, 2016;Mohammed, 2014;Liu, 2003;McLennan, Becken, & Watt, 2016;and Meißner, 2013).…”