Authenticity in Tourism: A study of tourists’ perceptions on authenticity throughout the tourism experience chronological phases
Translated title
Authenticity in Tourism
Author
Sopoti, Lorinda
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan turister opfatter autenticitet på tværs af før-, under- og efter-rejse faserne i turistoplevelsen. Med et socialkonstruktivistisk perspektiv og kvalitative semistrukturerede interviews belyses idéudvikling, beslutningstagning, forventninger og anticipation før rejsen; hvilke oplevelser der søges, autenticitetens rolle, og hvordan den opsøges under rejsen; samt minder og refleksioner efter rejsen. Resultaterne peger på, at jagten på autenticitet er tæt forbundet med identitetsdannelse, at autenticitet opleves forskelligt og vurderes via indikatorer som kulturel involvering og viden, og at udforskning af forskellige kulturer ved at leve som de lokale—fx smage lokal mad, bruge offentlig transport og besøge kvarterer—er centralt. Medskabelse af oplevelser gennem interaktion mellem turister og med lokale fremstår som en attraktiv vej til autenticitet, og teknologi og digitalisering gør det lettere både at finde og bevare autentiske oplevelser samt muliggør medskabelse. Overordnet opfattes autenticitet gennem kombinationer af oplevelser på tværs af faser, hvor menneskelig interaktion mellem turister og lokale er den røde tråd.
This thesis investigates how tourists perceive authenticity across the pre-trip, on-site, and post-trip phases of the tourism experience. Adopting a social constructivist perspective and using qualitative semi-structured interviews, the study examines idea generation, decision-making, anticipation and expectations before travel; the types of experiences sought, the role of authenticity, and how it is pursued during travel; and memories and reflections after travel. The findings indicate that the quest for authenticity is intertwined with identity formation, that authenticity is experienced diversely and assessed through indicators such as cultural engagement and knowledge, and that exploring different cultures by living like locals—trying local food, using public transport, and visiting neighborhoods—emerges as central. Co-creation of experiences through interactions among tourists and with local residents is an appealing pathway to authenticity, and technology and digitalization both facilitate the search for and preservation of authentic experiences as well as enable co-creation. Overall, authenticity is perceived through combinations of experiences across phases, with human interaction between tourists and locals constituting the common thread.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
Documents