Authenticity And Commoditisation

Question 1

Acculturation

Answer 1

The process of assimilating the ideas, beliefs, customs, values and knowledge of another culture through direct contact with it, usually after migration from one place to another

Question 2

Authenticity

Answer 2

Of undisputed origin and not a copy, genuine
Boorstin 1964
MacCannell 1973
Cohen 1979
Wang 1999

Question 3

Boorstin 1964

Answer 3

Tourists are shallow consumers of images
Differentiates between travellers of old and modern tourists
All tourism settings are fake and inauthentic

Question 4

MacCannell 1973

Answer 4

Each tourist seeking an authentic experience
Relates tours to pilgrimage
Tourist space called a stage set
Goffmans front and back stage
- front stage being what you want to show and what tourists want to get behind
- back stage being the reality of support needed for the front, satisfies tourists need, implies having a relationship with
Where back becomes accessible it looses its blackness and becomes more front

Question 5

Cohen 1979

Answer 5

Motive of the tourist
Experimental: quest for another alternative to their own centre, experience to find meaning, discover other cultures
Recreational: entertainment, restore physical and mental powers, relax, not seeking authentic, rather a push factor (getting away from), more modernised mode in today’s society
Diversionary: escape from boredom and routine, looking for escape from meaningless routine and instead, indulging in meaningless pleasure, find pleasure from other cultures
Experiential: modern day version of a quest to find religios centre, unable to lead authentic life, therefore wish to experience authenticity of lives of others, find meaning of life
Existential: seeking spiritual centre, find themselves through experience of another’s lifestyle
Authenticity in tourism is very hard to find, only few dedicated are able to get past false back

Question 6

Wang 1999

Answer 6

Tourism experience can be authentic in number of ways, authenticity result of perception
Objective: authentic experience gained where objects involved are authentic
Constructive: authentic experience result of social construction through images and expectations
Existential: authentic experience gained through an authenticity related activity, very reliant on interpersonal relationships

Question 7

Commodification, commoditisation

Answer 7

Commoditisation is a process by which things (and activities) come to be evaluated primarily in terms of their exchange value, in a content of trade, thereby becoming goods and services (Cohen 1988 p380)
Commodification means to turn into or treat as a mere commodity

Question 8

Affect of commodification on tourism

Answer 8

Destroys cultural meaning for locals and tourists
Once the culture of a region becomes a commodity for trade, it becomes staged and adapted for tourists, and as a result begins to loose it’s meaning
Prime example is Fijian fire walking, to Fijian it represents community solidarity, whereas to tourist it represents idea of entering backstage, tradition now become commodity in trade of tourism, earns more money for tour operators as oppose to indigenous people