Isn't change the only constant in life? Exploring tourist perceptions, values and motivations in Last Chance Tourism
Authors
Walter, Nina ; Börjes, Laura ; Graefe, Lena
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2019
Abstract
Last Chance Tourism (LCT) beskriver rejser, der er motiveret af oplevelsen af, at et sted eller dets særlige kendetegn snart vil ændre sig eller forsvinde. I takt med turismens vækst illustrerer LCT et paradoks: ønsket om at se det, der er ved at forsvinde, kan øge presset på de samme destinationer. Denne afhandling undersøger turisters opfattelser, værdier og motivationer i relation til LCT og ser samtidig på, hvordan online medier fremstiller og påvirker disse opfattelser. Med et mixed-methods design gennemførte vi en kvalitativ indholdsanalyse af online medier om LCT samt et online spørgeskema blandt potentielle LCT-turister. Resultaterne peger på, at mange er drevet af en søgen efter autenticitet, en følelse af nostalgi og en frygt for forandring; de ønsker at komme før steder bliver for turistede, og de betragter ofte det at rejse som en personlig ret, også når det kan stå i spænd med andre værdier som bæredygtighed. Deltagere tenderede til at have statiske, tidsfrosne forestillinger om destinationer og at se forandring som negativ. Studiet fremhæver online mediers rolle i at cirkulere LCT-budskaber og argumenterer for at gentænke LCT, så socio-kulturelle aspekter og destinationers dynamiske natur anerkendes. Det peger på behovet for mere nuancerede tilgange i markedsføring og forvaltning, der balancerer oplysning med risikoen for at forstærke påvirkninger.
Last Chance Tourism (LCT) refers to travel motivated by the belief that a place or its attributes will soon change or disappear. As tourism grows, LCT highlights a paradox: the desire to witness what is vanishing can increase pressure on the very destinations people want to experience. This thesis examines tourists’ perceptions, values, and motivations in relation to LCT and explores how online media portrayals shape those perceptions. Using a mixed-methods design, we conducted a qualitative content analysis of online media about LCT and an online questionnaire with potential LCT tourists. Findings indicate that many are driven by a search for authenticity, nostalgia, and fear of change; they wish to arrive before places become overly touristy and often frame travel as a personal right, even when it conflicts with other values such as sustainability. Participants tended to hold static, time-frozen images of destinations and to view change as negative. The study underscores the influential role of online media in circulating LCT messages and argues for reframing LCT to recognize socio-cultural dynamics and the inherently changing nature of destinations. This points to the need for more nuanced marketing and management approaches that balance awareness-raising with the risk of amplifying impacts.
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