Tourism

Introduction

When we are tourists visiting other countries we are at the apex of travel and intercultural communication. Such situation may find us juggling power imbalances, identity, and cultural commodification within the host-guest dynamic. These transactions highlight the ethical need for cultural humility to move beyond one-dimensional experiences, encouraging us to critically evaluate our impact and the authenticity of our interactions. Local communities often develop specific communication strategies to protect their culture from visitors. As tourists we may attempt to bridge the gap between our home culture and the culture of our destination. How can we as competent travelers balance our curiosity with respect for a host's boundaries?

Almost as long as humans have emerged into societies, there has been tourism. Evidence of tourism has been found by archaeologists in ancient Egyptian and Babylonian sites, but it was probably in existence even before then. At that time, people probably traveled to religious sites, or to find food, or avoid war and invaders. Travel for leisure wasn't documented until the rise of the Roman Empire when people had more money and a reliable road system.

An ancient, stone-paved Roman road runs alongside stone ruins on a grassy hillside overlooking a distant town and mountains. — Figure 9.0 – The beginning of tourism? Roman road Casinum

During the European period called the Middle Ages, commoners started doing religious pilgrimages. Elites in the 1700s often did the "Grand Tour" of Europe to be considered cultured, but it wasn't until the mid-1900s that tourism rose dramatically in the United States.

History aside, tourism provides rich opportunities for intercultural encounters. "Tourism is centered on the fundamental principles of exchange between peoples and is both an expression and experience of culture. It reaches into some deep conceptual territories relating to how we construct and understand ourselves, the world, and the multilayered relationships between them". Outside of our exposure to the various forms of popular culture, tourism is the next biggest way that we are exposed to cultures other than our own. This chapter considers the economic impacts of tourism along with the challenges and cultural implications of tourism.

Source: Karen Krumrey
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