Tourist Performances (Paperback)

This research presents two case studies of travels, comparing tourist performances in two divergent settings; natural and urban environment. It specifically deals with four themes emerging from the observation of performances; sociality, embodiment, constraints of performances and identity. The discussion on sociality presents the importance and consequences of presence of relevant others. Discussion about embodiment presents the role of body in tourist experience; body as a display and as a tool for sensuous perception of the environment. Looking at the constraints of performances reveals how tourists negotiate places and what shapes their performances. The discussion on identity presents specific perceptions of nature and culture that derive from the cultural background of participants and deals with emergence of temporary identities that enable tourists to consume places. This research contributes to a debate on performances and enables us to understand more about places and people that encounter them. Such approach supersedes old theories dealing with motives, problems of authenticity and tourist representations.