The Importance of Authenticity in Urban Tourism - Coursework Example

The Importance of Authenti in Urban Tourism Authenti in tourism relates to the reality of what is presented to the tourist as part of the tourist experience. Selwyn (1996) describes two aspects of authenticity as cool and hot authenticity. Cool authenticity relates to knowledge of authenticity and hot authenticity refers to feeling something to be authentic. According to this view, an experience or object may be believed to be authentic even without being authentic in reality. The Purpose of Authenticity Tourists seek authenticity as a means to discover their true selves that is usually hidden under the pressures of modern lifestyles and the conforming pressures of globalization. Especially in the developed countries where globalization has pushed local culture in the background and uniform capitalist values dominate society, tourists seek authentic experiences through tourism. They prefer to visit places that have not yet been touched by modernity and globalization and that retain their original culture. Tourists prefer to meet people who follow the age-old traditions and customs that are indigenous to their place and have withstood the pressures of globalization and westernization. Authenticity in the tourist experience is desirable but it does not seem to matter a lot to tourists, especially those who undertake urban tourism. Tourists who visit rural areas or untouched parts of a country do expect to experience a natural environment and traditional people. On the other hand, people who travel to urban areas naturally seek out the comforts and lifestyles similar to the ones they enjoy in the western world. Their emphasis is on viewing interesting sights, participating in interesting activities—cultural or otherwise—and spending a good time with their family. Seeking authentic experiences is likely to put children in discomfort which is why authenticity does not matter a lot in urban tourism. They are primarily concerned with seeking comfortable and stimulating experiences and learning about the culture and history through modern means such as visiting museums and libraries. Existential Authenticity and Urban Tourism Wang (1999) describes how some of the purposes of seeking authenticity in tourism can be linked to existential authenticity where the tourists seeks to discover the self by exposing himself or herself to different experiences. According to this explanation, an individual undertakes travel to discover the self by meeting people and seeking experiences that are different to his or her own. It is through comparing the different and often contrasting experiences and ways of life, that the individual is able to arrive at some explanation of his or her self. If the western tourist is considered in this explanation, then in seeking existential authenticity, the tourist would undertake travel to less modern and largely primitive parts of the world. Since the modern western tourist lives a modern life and is shaped by the globalized culture, to seek a new experience and seek existential authenticity, he needs to visit places and meet people who have been relatively less influenced by modernity and globalization. This desire then takes the individual to remote destinations and exotic locations. However, when the tourists undertake a visit to an urban region, it cannot be assumed that the place will be relatively untouched by modernity. Thanks to globalization, even the cities in developing countries display openly the influences of globalization. Johnson (2007) describes that through authentic experiences, tourists seek to discover their self by interacting with the local people and experiencing the local culture. In the context of Thai tourism, Johnson (2007) uses the example of hill-tribe tourism and trekking to describe the aims of western tourists who wish to seek out experiences that affirm their self of identity apart from the machine-like existence that they lead in the western nations. At the same time, Johnson (2007) also notes that the western tourists experience some degree of disillusionment because what they actually experience is different from the images they are shown in the tourism brochures. Johnson (2007) concludes that the road to self-discovery through authentic local cultural experiences is not a smooth one because of these perceptual differences, with the result that the tourist experiences greater anxiety rather than satisfaction at self-discovery. The Effect of Low Authenticity in Dubai Dubai, for instance, is one of the most popular tourist destinations for western tourists. It is one of the most well-developed urban areas in the Middle East and has a cosmopolitan population. The urban tourists who visit Dubai do not appear to be motivated by the desire to seek out authentic experiences. The Dubai tourism authorities go out of their way to ensure that the tourists get an experience that is as near to the culture of the tourists as possible. Authentic culture in Dubai is conspicuous due to its absence. The major tourist attractions of Dubai are its western-style shopping malls and record-breaking skyscrapers. Tourists spend most of their vacationing time driving around in air-conditioned cars and in air-conditioned shopping malls. The beaches are also a popular spot with tourists, which also offer activities and facilities that could be enjoyed at any tourist location in Europe or North America. Some semblance of authentic experience is offered by the desert safaris which are again contrived experiences that have been designed to meet the expectations of the western tourists. Tourists drive up and down expansive sand dunes in four-wheel drives or take camel rides. The evenings are marked by barbecue dinners and belly dancing, that is hardly authentic Dubai culture. To take in the culture of the region, tourists take to the further regions to participate in scuba diving off the coast. But most of it is centered on typically west-oriented experiences. Another very significant aspect of urban tourism in Dubai is the popularity of the annual Dubai shopping festival. Since the first festival in 1997, the festival has attracted millions of tourists to the city each year in February to buy international brands at discounted prices. Rather than being an authentic cultural experience, this is an extreme form of consumerism that is typically found in western countries. The festival lasts for up to a month where the purpose is to stimulate the local economy of Dubai as opposed to promoting the development or preservation of authentic culture. It may also be argued that in urban tourism, tourists do expect to seek out experiences similar to those that can be experienced in the western countries. What they are looking for is an opportunity to get away from the daily grind in their home countries and enjoy a period of leisure in a similar environment. In other words, the urban tourist does not seek to explore authentic houses or communities. Instead, he or she seeks to walk along paved streets and admire astounding skyscrapers without having to worry about going to work in any of them. Hence, authenticity in urban tourism is something that the urban tourist seeks to avoid rather than seek. They would rather enjoy a pampering massage and fine dining rather than experience the local culture. Another point to note is that eastern societies are not as urbanized as western societies. Particularly, Dubai has been urbanized only since the 1970s. It primarily remains a tribal society whose members mostly reside in the desert. This affords little opportunity for tourists to seek authentic cultural experiences in Dubai. Authenticity in the Context of Bangkok Another destination that is highly popular with tourists is Thailand. It is one of the most popular countries for tourists in the region because of its vibrant cultural experiences. However, most of these experiences are created for the consumption of western tourists. Dolezal (2011) explains that many tourists to Thailand limit their experiences within the confines of their hotels. They avoid contact with the local people, which prevents them from obtaining any significant authentic cultural feelings. The major center of urban tourism in Thailand is Bangkok which is similar to any major cosmopolitan area anywhere in the world. Many tourists who visit Thailand seek out the local cuisine and visit the major bazaars to shop for souvenirs and fake branded goods. This shows that the desire to seek out authentic experiences is present in the case of urban tourists who visit Bangkok. Another popular tourist experience in Bangkok is the Thai massage. Many tourists flock to the roadside massage places or high-end spas to experience the pampering of a luxurious Thai massage. Although this is something that can be enjoyed at any spa in the world, urban tourists to Thailand place a high value on seeking authentic cuisine and massage. The Thai tourism authorities have highlighted this as a major tourist attraction for visitors to Bangkok, which casts some doubts over how authentic the experience actually is. It is likely that the experience has moved away from the traditional massage and cuisine to make it palatable for the western tourists. Another aspect of urban tourism in Bangkok is the sex tourism. This is an important part of tourism in Bangkok and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Xie and Lane (2006) describe that authentic culture cannot be described as a static entity. In fact, it is a dynamic entity that can be changed over time. Culture itself is organic and unless it has gone entirely extinct, it will continue to evolve and accept influences from other cultures. The authors describe the aboriginal arts performances as a staged performance that has been rather commoditized as a result of demand and supply factors. Cohen (1988) also explains how culture can be commoditized to attract tourists. Furthermore, Culler (1981) explains that authenticity needs to be certified. In spite of that, they are of the opinion that the cultural experience may ultimately help the tourists to become aware of the cultural practices of the aboriginal people. The Revitalization of Authentic Cultures It is experienced that the native or aboriginal cultures experience a stage of revitalization as they try to assert themselves after a period of stress and distortion. They try to orient themselves to the demands of the new environment and pursue measures to ensure their survival. It is expected that staged and rehearsed aspect of such cultural experiences is a natural stage in the development of a marginal culture. However, it seems that in urban tourism nothing more than this may be required by the tourists as they do not seek to immerse themselves in the local culture on a leisure trip. MacCannell (1973) explains how the search for authenticity is actually a desire to experience primitive things. Sims (2009) argues that local food plays an important role in creating an authentic experience for the tourist. She describes that the sourcing of local food can not only help to create a sustainable form of tourism by promoting the local economy. It can also help to provide an authentic local experience to the tourists in these regions. However, her analysis is based on the Lake District and Exmoor regions of the United Kingdom, both of which are not major areas of urban tourism. Hence, it may be accepted that visitors to these regions are greatly interested in authentic culture and local food. However, the same cannot be said of urban tourists. While in the case of Bangkok, it can be said that urban tourists do seek out local authentic food. But in the case of Dubai, the tourists are more interested in seeking multiple experiences and trying out a variety of cuisines instead of just the local food. The Problems with Authenticity in Tourism Wyile (2008) also points out to the problems with seeking authenticity in tourism. He cites the example of the Atlantic provinces of Canada. He explains that the Atlantic Canadian provinces are a popular tourist destination because of the scenic landscape and relatively less modern lifestyles of the people. He further explains that the somewhat rural environment of these regions attracts tourists from the fast-paced lifestyles of the metropolitan centers of the country and other parts of the world. Like other instances described above, these tourists seek authentic experiences to discover the self. However, Wyile (2008) also notes some of the problems that can be created as a result of the search for perceived authenticity and its preservation to attract tourists. He explains that the preservation of perceived authenticity in the environment and culture can prevent the economic progress of the people and the place. He recounts the history of the region by tracing the comparatively prosperous past of these provinces prior to the confederation. However, after the confederation, the economic progress of the region was halted and the only source of economic growth was tourism, or rather authentic tourism. Wyile (2008) explains that such authentic tourism includes the traditional economy centered on fishing and the dense woodlands of the region. However, it is difficult to prevent this from changing as the economic and resource needs of the local population demand moving away from traditional professions and ways of life. If the preservation of these primitive cultures is enforced, then it results in the economic deprivation of the communities. Hence, the search for authenticity in tourism seems to be a force that prevents the real progress of a region and instead encourages the creation of a cultural showcase to satisfy the expectations of wealthy tourists. The authentic culture that is created for the consumption of tourists is more of a constructive authenticity that is created by ascribing certain meanings to objects or images that are not inherent to the object or image itself. As for instance, the image of the Hawaiian dancing girl dressed in a skirt mage of grass becomes a symbol of authentic tourism in Hawaii. In reality, this is simply an image evoked from a primitive past. It has little to do with authentic Hawaiian culture. It cannot be assumed that people in Hawaii today dress up in the same way. But this is merely an image crafted to attract tourists to the region. This shows that the search for authentic culture is exploited by the tourism authorities and some image of the local culture is resurrected, ascribed a meaning, and is in this way commoditized for the western tourists. Conclusion On the basis of the above discussion, it can be concluded that authenticity in urban tourism does not make much difference to the experience as it does in the case of eco-tourism or rural tourism. The search for authentic tourism is actually motivated by existential ideas that make a tourist discover the self through exposure with diverse cultures. However, in the case of urban tourism, this cannot be found because through the forces of globalization, the same values are pervading the urban areas of developing countries as are found in the developed countries. The examples of Dubai and Bangkok as places with low authenticity but high levels of urban tourism indicate that the absence of authenticity does not matter much to urban tourists. They largely prefer to experience similar experiences but in a leisurely environment. Such experiences serve as a mental break from the stress of everyday life rather than a quest for the self. Therefore, while other forms of tourism might be actuated by a discovery of the self, urban tourism is not affected greatly by the presence or absence of authenticity. It is largely motivated by consumerism and an experience that improves self-esteem through consumerist behaviours like shopping and luxury services. Bibliography Cohen, E., 1988. Authenticity and Commoditiza-tion in Tourism, Annals of Tourism Research, 15 (3), pp. 371-86. Culler, J., 1981. Semiotics of Tourism, American Journal of Semiotics, 1(1-2), pp. 127-40. Dolezal, C., 2011. ‘Community-Based Tourism in Thailand: (Dis-)Illusions of Authenticity and the Necessity for Dynamic Concepts of Culture and Power’, Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies, 4 (1), pp. 129-138. Johnson, A. A., 2007. ‘Authenticity, Tourism, and Self-Discovery in Thailand: Self-Creation and the Discerning Gaze of Trekkers and Old Hands’, Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 22 (2), pp. 153-178. MacCannell, D., 1973. Staged Authenticity: Arrangements of Social Space in Tourist Settings, American Journal of Sociology, 79 (3), pp. 589-603. Selwyn, T., 1996. Introduction, in T. Selwyn (ed.), The Tourist Image: Myths and Myth Making in Tourism, Chichester: Wiley, 1-32. Sims, R., 2009. ‘Food, Place and Authenticity: Local Food and the Sustainable Tourism Experience’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17 (3), pp. 321-336. Wang, N., 1999. Rethinking authenticity in tourism experiences, Annals of Tourism Research 26 (2), pp. 349-70. Wyile, H., 2008. ‘Going Out of Their Way: Tourism, Authenticity, and Resistance in Contemporary Atlantic-Canadian Literature’, ESC, 34 (2/3), pp. 159-180. Xie, P. F. & Lane, B., 2006. ‘A Life Cycle Model for Aboriginal Arts Performance in Tourism: Perspectives on Authenticity’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14 (6), pp. 545-561. Read More