Cultures Of Mass Tourism

With more than 230 million international tourists a year, the Mediterranean region is the largest tourist destination in the world. This book outlines that its economic importance is matched by its significance as a cultural and aesthetic phenomenon. Through a series of ethnographic insights into some of the key sites of mass Mediterranean tourism, it focuses on package tourists' experiences of the serial, banal and depthless spaces that are mushrooming along the coast and the enchantments, dissolutions and dreams that saturate them. Moving away from the notion of authentic places corrupted by mass tourism, the book shows how new forms and spaces are made and remade by the mobilities and performances of locals, workers and tourists. Finally, the book looks at the complex materialities of mass tourism and the many networks that make it possible.

Once content to sunbathe and follow guides and established itineraries, tourists are increasingly seeking authentic culture. This is taking them into the private areas and zones to which the locals retire in order to escape the tourist gaze, creating tensions between the two groups. Based on recent anthropological field studies, this book describes how European communities dependant on tourism have been affected by the commoditization of their culture and explores the ways they cope with the constant attention of outsiders. The collection demonstrates both varied and skillful ways in which individuals and communities react to and cope with the impact of decades of mass tourism on their lives and values, thus throwing new light onto questions of identity, boundary maintenance and cultural adjustment.

Broadly speaking, academic tourism research comes in two main shapes - why and how to. Both traditions seem unable to ever meet and their trajectory reminds of scissors agape. This title argues that tourism research finds itself in a serious scissors crisis. It reflects on how the crisis came about and looks at its effect on the real world.

Mass tourism is one of the most striking developments in postwar western societies, involving economic, social, cultural, and anthropological factors. For many countries it has become a significant, if not the primary, source of income for the resident population. The Mediterranean basin, which has long been a very popular destination, is explored here in the first study to scrutinize the region as a whole and over a long period of time. In particular, it investigates the area’s economic and social networks directly involved in tourism, which includes examining the most popular spots that attract tourists and the crucial actors, such as hotel entrepreneurs, travel agencies, charter companies, and companies developing seaside resort networks. This important volume presents a fascinating picture of the economics of tourism in one of the world’s most visited destinations.

* The first book to examine a major new factor in tourism --the rapid growth of tourism within developing countries and regions * Analyses the nature, magnitude and impact in different contexts and countries * Covers Asia, Africa and Latin America * Vital subject for development, economics and social policy * Published with the UN Research Institute for Social Development Domestic tourism in developing countries is rapidly outstripping international tourism and could soon involve 10 times the numbers. Despite the rapid growth, it has not been studied. This is the first book to examine the numbers involved, their profile, behavior, impacts and the relevant policy responses. The volume looks at the impacts of local mass tourism in various socioeconomic and environmental contexts and on diverse social groups. It provides analysis and overviews of seven of the main countries involved in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

With more than 230 million international tourists a year, the Mediterranean region is the largest tourist destination in the world. This book outlines that its economic importance is matched by its significance as a cultural and aesthetic phenomenon. Through a series of ethnographic insights into some of the key sites of mass Mediterranean tourism, it focuses on package tourists' experiences of the serial, banal and depthless spaces that are mushrooming along the coast and the enchantments, dissolutions and dreams that saturate them. Moving away from the notion of authentic places corrupted by mass tourism, the book shows how new forms and spaces are made and remade by the mobilities and performances of locals, workers and tourists. Finally, the book looks at the complex materialities of mass tourism and the many networks that make it possible.

This book strives to understand the social and cultural dynamics in Mediterranean tourist destinations through ethnographic examples from Greece, Spain, Egypt, France, Malta and Crete. It observes and examines the social, cultural and relational processes involved as migrants, tourists and new residents converge with locals in daily life.