- Email: [email protected]
Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences
Book reviews / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 195–206
considered including a study that draws a parallel between the deliberate and the accidental search approach, since it seems that both studies in this part are mostly focused on the deliberate search of information, and there is not enough information in regards to the accidental approach. Part III focuses on the decision making process and the choice of alternative as part of the overall tourism behavior process. The first article in this part is an interesting approach of examining different strategies that tourists use in vacation decision making. The first case study used in this article includes information that has already been covered in the article, which creates a sense of repetition. Another issue with this case study is that it does not have the normal structure of a typical case study and does not include a story that a case study would normally include. The second article in this part covers exploratory behavior in the different stages of the consumption process. With the rapid development of new technologies different consumption experiences may be able to substitute the consumption of the actual vacation product. Therefore this article is a nice attempt to evaluate exploratory behavior and a good starting point for future research in this area. Part IV of the book which is focused on the tourism experience and includes an overview of mindfulness theory and the different challenges in consumer experience research. An additional study that covers the uniqueness and the specifics of the tourist experience might have been considered by the editors and been included in this chapter. The consumption of the tourism product is very distinctive and quite different from the consumption of other non-tourism and more tangible products, and is usually the main and most important stage in the tourism consumption process. The post-consumption stage in the tourism consumption process is covered in Part V of the book. The first article in this part includes a very interesting argument that tourists as consumers do not only have expectations of the tourism product itself, but they also have expectations in regards to the roles they play on trips and vacations. This opens a key opportunity for future research in this area, which seems to have been overlooked by researchers. The different factors determining tourist behavior have been discussed in Part VI of the book. An additional article that gives a deeper insight into the lifecycle and lifestyle determinants of tourism demand could have been included in addition to the existing two chapters. The title of the last Part VII in the book fits very well the content of its three chapters. This last part is focused on the impact of IT, media, and culture on the behavior of tourists and is a good natural ending to this handbook. Something that could have been included in this handbook is probably a chapter in which the link between general consumer behavior and tourist behavior is drawn. Although some of the chapters included in the handbook cover the specifics of tourist behavior, a separate chapter could have been included in the introductory section of the handbook. In addition to the useful chapters included in this handbook, the readers can also benefit from the references following each study, and pertaining to the different stages in the tourism consumption process. Overall this handbook is well structured and makes a good contribution to the increasingly significant area of tourist consumption and behavior. Ivan Ninov Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Dubai 29662, United Arab Emirates E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2009.12.006
201
Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences, Kevin Hannam, Anya Diekmann (Eds.). Channel View Publications, Bristol (2010). xiD241 pp., (pbk). ISBN-13: 978-1-84541-130-5 Contributing to the rapidly evolving canon of backpacker literature, Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences (2010), edited by Hannam and Diekmann, intends to advance discourse developed in The Global Nomad: Backpacker Travel in Theory and Practice (2004), and Backpacker Tourism: Concepts and Profiles (2008). The authors aspire to theoretically, methodologically, and geographically expand upon existing backpacker discourse. While a few authors contribute impressive new knowledge to backpacker scholarship, much of the book will be familiar territory for backpacker scholars. Theoretical and geographical expansion is weak while methodological advances are the most problematic with the majority of chapters bereft of transparent methodologies albeit with exceptions including the use of technology (see Paris Chapter 4) as well as the use of mobile ethnographies (see Johnson Chapter 7). Most chapters rely on qualitative methods and while potentially a response to the call for more in-depth understanding of backpackers (Hannam & Ateljevic, 2008), the lack of audit trails obfuscates the validity and reliability of conclusions. Omission is particularly relevant when antidotal evidence is utilized to invoke claims (e.g. utilizing a personal diary as empirical data, speaking to a single backpacker). This latest book in the series brings several relatively new scholars to the fore of backpacker research while simultaneously conspicuously absent of contributions by previous contributors to the series, many of who are well-established in this area of research. Hampton presents a first-person account of transitioning from backpacker to backpacker researcher. The trajectory and implications are explored with focus on the etic/emic dichotomy implying the need for increased reflexivity amongst backpacker scholars. This is a novel read especially for those who have traversed similar paths. Hampton is one of the few authors offering suggestions for future research. The work of Jarvis and Peel is based on survey work in Fiji resulting in baseline data on Flashpackers which previously had little empirical understanding outside of conceptualization. The concept of sustainable development in relation to the Flashpackers is explored and while the majority of chapters in the book lack a clear methodology, the work of Jarvis and Peel is a refreshing exception. Paris provides insight into the use of technology prior to, during, and after a backpacker journey. Using the internet to capture this highly mobile subculture is commended. Additionally, he assays just-in-time information and its relationship to backpacker decision-making. This contribution is methodologically strong albeit questions exist regarding the sample composite. Kanning (2009) found data presented in backpacker studies since the 1970s are bereft of, or minimal, in terms of representation by backpackers from the United States; in Paris’s work they were the largest cohort with no explanation. Limitations and delimitations need transparency and while this is a major drawback of the chapter it is not mutually exclusive to this chapter. Scott Cohen utilizes lifestyle theory to explore “lifestylers”, backpackers whose primary identity is being on the road interfused with periods of employment back home. His work emphasizes the increasing acknowledgement that the backpacker subculture is more heterogeneous than previously assumed. As a unique cohort, lifestylers seemingly share characteristics with the drifters which many scholars assume cease to exist. This work should open discussion regarding the operationalization of the modern day drifter. Just as the conceptualization of backpacker has evolved, so should the conceptualization of drifters.
202
Book reviews / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 195–206
O’Regan establishes a relationship between mobility and infrastructure. This conceptual chapter analyzes the dynamic symbolism of hostels yet offers little empirical evidence to support the conclusions. Butler increases understanding of hostel users by focusing on motivations for choosing Norway as a destination. Three types of visitor motivation emerge: the highly motivated destination visitor, the obligated visitor, and the opportunistic visitor. A short but important area that needs expansion is the role that choice/necessity of certain types of transport impact upon the backpacker experiences. Without explicit acknowledgement, the discussion dances around the Plog (1974, 2001) and Butler (1980) models. Johnson utilizes mobile ethnography focusing on the use of train space by backpackers while travelling thus expanding both the mobilities literature as well as the backpacker literature. One drawback is that Johnson needs transparency the sample composition as culturally certain nationality cohorts likely view and utilize space differently in their home country as well as during their travels. Bell presents a case study on backpackers in Mongolia adding to the geographical expansion of backpacker studies. Discussions regarding perceptions of risk and the influence on travel emanate from gleaning information from blogs and the author’s ethnographic diary that was based on “a few weeks” in the field. This is a one-off case study that should have incorporated theoretical grounding in Csikszentmihalyi’s (1975) Flow model. Myers indicates her work contributes to the body of gay tourism research yet connection to the backpacker subculture is nominal. Exploring lesbian backpacker’s individual and community identity within the backpacker subculture and the deliquescence of societal constraints of their home societies results in a unique exploration of this niche previously unexplored in the backpacker literature. Myers focuses on overcoming constraints albeit fails to indicate the constraints being overcome, are absent, or mitigated while when entering the liminal zone that backpacking offers. Methodologically Myers fails to make transparent her collection of data, sampling, and analysis. Overall the chapter lacks focus leading the reader to question what is attempting to be accomplished. Laythorpe expands on existing understanding of type and form of tourism related to, albeit not mutually exclusive from, backpacking. Voluntourism is studied through a lens integrating authenticity, immersion, and identity. Based on 10 volunteer/backpacker interviews conducted over an 18-week period, Laythorpe finds voluntourism is utilized as a conduit for becoming comfortable with travel on the African continent. Voluntourism, it is argued, offers a buffer for overcoming real and antecedent constraints associated with travel in this part of the world. The writing is rich in ideas and information albeit absent in proposed areas for future research albeit the reader walks away with a plethora of investigative ideas. Welk’s case study focuses on understanding backpacker destination development. Utilizing the Town of 1770, Australia, Welk amalgamates key dates and events outlining the evolution of Town of 1770 as a destination and while transparent about the dearth of available secondary data, key dates/events generally lack sources. Consisting of a single sentence, the methodology is mired in reliability and validity issues concerning conclusions reinforced by antidotal evidence exemplified by statements including ‘The author frequently heard’ or ‘a backpacker who travelled up the East Coast in 2004 claimed she had never heard of the place’. Participant observation, traveler blog analysis, and email interviews were utilized yet neglects to state how data analysis was conducted. Welk makes mention of the traditional resort lifecycle theories yet fails to identify them including the work of Butler (1980). One conclusion made by Welk is that a parallel emergence exists of “upmarket” resort tourism while simultaneously in the nascent stages of becoming a backpacker hotspot. Typically
accepted development models assume “upmarket” tourism follows backpacker tourism thus if the case made here is correct then scholars must revisit accepted lifecycle models. Bushell and Anderson impressively integrate theory and triangulated methods in their exploration of local community–backpacker relationships in Sydney. Unfortunately coverage of the Sydney agitation points between the two groups is covered extensively elsewhere (see Allon, 2004; Allon, Anderson, & Bushell, 2008; Wilson, Richards, & MacDonnell, 2008). The authors conceptualize that many community problems relate to the backpackers existing at “.the juncture between dwelling and travelling, and between mobility and stasis, where conflicts emerge over the identities of places and the production of localities as tourist commodities”(p. 201). The liminality of these geographical anomalies, whether enclaves or pseudo-enclaves, provides havens for backpackers who are viewed as existing in liminal zones arguably bereft of empathy for the local communities in which they temporarily reside. A poignant question is raised regarding how the backpackers can be teased out from permanent community members participating in socially deviant behavior. They further recommend enquiry into whether locals find it more desirable for backpackers to be diffused throughout communities or more confined to enclaves. Rogerson nicely explores the relationship between policy and backpacking in South Africa resulting in identification of fifteen key constraints potentially hampering destination development in the South African backpacker milieu. Tightly written with a good balance between descriptive data, conceptualization, and recommendations, the aim of the chapter was met which was to “unpack the development of policy and planning for backpacker tourism in South Africa” (p. 203). A gulf between academic books and journal research articles concerning rigor arguably exists and unfortunately this book reinforces this assertion. The previous book in the series, Backpacker Tourism: Concepts and Profiles (2008), by Hannam and Ateljevic (eds.), had similarly identified deficiencies (Bowen, 2009). The most unfortunate drawback to the book is the lack of a concluding chapter summarizing the chapter contributions. This deficiency is further exasperated by the lack of future research recommendations by the majority of chapter contributors albeit there are exceptions. If one is conducting backpacker research this book will likely contribute anecdotally to further understanding of this subculture although for most it is likely to be an exercise in re-familiarization with the previously existing literature. The aim of the book was not accomplished and as a tool for furthering backpacker discourse, it lacks any recommended direction thus somewhat leading the reader to wonder about the implications of the title Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences. References Allon, F. (2004). Backpacker heaven: the consumption and construction of tourist spaces and landscapes in Sydney. Space and Culture, 7(1), 49–63. Allon, F., Anderson, K., & Bushell, R. (2008). Mutant mobilities: backpacker tourism in ‘global’ Sydney. Mobilities, 3(1), 73–94. Bowen, D. (2009). Review of the book backpacker tourism. Tourism Management, 30, 309–314. Butler, R. (1980). The concept of a tourist area cycle of evolution: implications for management of resources. Canadian Geographer, 14, 5–12. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: The experience of play in work and games. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Hannam, K., & Ateljevic, I. (2008). Backpacker tourism: Concepts and profiles. London: Channel View Publications. Kanning, M. (2009). Influence of overseas travel experiences on the worldview of U. S. backpackers. (Doctoral dissertation, Clemson University, 2008) Dissertation Abstracts International, 70/01, (UMI. No. AAT-3339412). Plog, S. (1974). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 14(4), 55–58.
Book reviews / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 195–206 Plog, S. (2001). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity: an update of a classic. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 42(3), 13–24. Richards, G., & Wilson, J. (Eds.). (2004). The global nomad: Backpacker travel in theory and practice. Toronto: Channel View Publications. Wilson, J., Richards, G., & MacDonnell, I. (2008). Intra-community tensions in backpacker enclaves: Sydney’s Bondi Beach. In K. Hannam, & I. Ateljevic (Eds.), Backpacker tourism: Concepts and profiles (pp. 199–215). London: Channel View Publications.
Mark Kanning Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX, United States E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.06.022
Creating Irish Tourism. The First Century 1750–1850, William H.A. Williams. Anthem Nineteenth Century Series. London and New York (2010). ISBN-13: 978 1 84331 844 6. This book has been much needed and is most welcome. There has been of late a surge of excellent writing about the history of tourism in Ireland, but most of the attention has been on its more recent experience after the Famine and indeed post WW2. Although Mary Davies has charted the rise of Bray as a late eighteenth century seaside resort, in general much less has appeared on the early phase when Ireland first began to make an appearance as a tourist destination. The primary source for this excellent study is 100 or so travel accounts of Ireland written between c1750 and 1850, looking at where they visited, what they found, and assessing their reactions. These visitors, primarily British, were moneyed and leisured, and possessed of both curiosity and courage: getting to Ireland involved crossing the Irish Sea which until the coming of steamships in 1820s was always uncertain and sometimes dangerous. And Ireland had an uneasy reputation; agrarian unrest and an actual uprising in 1798 did not encourage tourism. Nor was Ireland possessed of as full a range of attractions as other parts of Britain or the Continent; it lacked a Walter Scott or a Shakespeare to put it on the literary tourist’s map; its museums, art and urban architecture were at best second division, its climate a mixed blessing, its culture and heritage suspect. What powered Hibernian tourism was landscape and scenery; as Williams points out, Killarney, the Giant’s Causeway and the Wicklow Glens were top ranking attractions to the European traveller in search of the picturesque. And Ireland had waterfalls and lakes aplenty; its great houses could offer policies, parks and walks with viewpoints and picnic stations, rustic temples and follies. Few saw any beauty in the bogs, or the absence of trees and the levels of poverty shocked some, not all of Ireland was attractive; but enough was. Williams divides his analysis into three parts. The first deals with the problems of getting to, and around Ireland. The railways were late on the scene in Ireland, and much rested on horse drawn transport, of which the jaunting car was one form. Accommodation was another issue for tourists; the amiability of hosts was not always matched by efficiency. Williams then reviews where people went and why; some were motivated by a desire to understand Ireland and the Irish, a question of weight for the British. The second part focuses in depth on the Irish landscape, with a fascinating section on the development of Killarney. It discusses the tourist experience; what the Irish of all classes gave and what they got; guides, beggars, singers and souvenir vendors and well as hotel proprietors and landowners. The final part looks inter
203
alia at Irishness; what the visitors found different, distinctive and difficult in terms of language, religion and custom including pattern pilgrimage and fairs. What many visitors saw as the curse of Ireland, the backwardness of peasant agriculture leads to consideration of what remedies they proposed, and then to the consequences in the famine, and beyond There are interesting reflections on what tourism meant for visitors and visited; and lots of local detail; for example, the evolution of the kissing stone tradition at Blarney. Reflecting the sources used, what we have here is mainly based around the experience of the foreign visitor in Ireland, the British or American or even European visitor. But tourism in Ireland was more than tourism to Ireland. Irish spas and the Irish seaside did not draw visitors from outside Ireland but there was growing domestic tourism, day tripping and excursions by the professional classes of the cities. On this Williams is largely silent. But it did exist and was substantial. Whereas the flow of visitors to Ireland for most of the period may have been in the order of hundreds rather than tens of thousands, local tourism was much bigger. On one Sunday alone in August 1794, one observer counted on the road from Dublin to Leixlip spa more than 3000 en route by carriage and horse, and twice than number of pedestrians. There is the problem, of course, and this seems to be particularly acute for Ireland, of the absence of any quantitative data pre-1750 which could determine even in the broadest terms what the scale of tourism was, or how that changed, or even how many visitors there may have been at any given destination. But without visitors’ books or lists of visitors, that deficiency may be permanent. And what Williams gives us is plentiful indeed, a pleasurable, informative and important study, with very good footnoting. It is, and this is a shame, somewhat slipshod. There are surprising errors of fact – Thomas Cook becomes James Cook – and of spelling, even at the level of chapter headings, one of which is termed Semeiotics. But these are but midge bites which should not spoil a very worthwhile journey. Alastair Durie The University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.07.004
Issues in Cultural Tourism Studies, M.K. Smith, (2nd ed.). Routledge, London (2009). pp. xvii D 251 (pbk). ISBN: 13: 978-0-41546712-4 Is all tourism cultural tourism? Cannot we delimit and define culture in such a way that it is seen not only from the substantive viewpoint but also gives weight to the intangible and value aspects, as also from the viewpoint of culturally cognized behavior? As this second edition of the book shows, there is still a lot of confusion over terms, definitions and other issues that are part of cultural tourism studies. This book is meant largely for, it seems, students or those in academics who have not got involved in the nitty-gritty of the subject. This shows in the sometimes plain language used by the author and at other times in the utilization of less-used words that indicate that one of the author’s intentions was to seek peer approval. The Introduction is well-written and appears to cover the many different ways in which the concept of culture is utilized, which sets
considered including a study that draws a parallel between the deliberate and the accidental search approach, since it seems that both studies in this part are mostly focused on the deliberate search of information, and there is not enough information in regards to the accidental approach. Part III focuses on the decision making process and the choice of alternative as part of the overall tourism behavior process. The first article in this part is an interesting approach of examining different strategies that tourists use in vacation decision making. The first case study used in this article includes information that has already been covered in the article, which creates a sense of repetition. Another issue with this case study is that it does not have the normal structure of a typical case study and does not include a story that a case study would normally include. The second article in this part covers exploratory behavior in the different stages of the consumption process. With the rapid development of new technologies different consumption experiences may be able to substitute the consumption of the actual vacation product. Therefore this article is a nice attempt to evaluate exploratory behavior and a good starting point for future research in this area. Part IV of the book which is focused on the tourism experience and includes an overview of mindfulness theory and the different challenges in consumer experience research. An additional study that covers the uniqueness and the specifics of the tourist experience might have been considered by the editors and been included in this chapter. The consumption of the tourism product is very distinctive and quite different from the consumption of other non-tourism and more tangible products, and is usually the main and most important stage in the tourism consumption process. The post-consumption stage in the tourism consumption process is covered in Part V of the book. The first article in this part includes a very interesting argument that tourists as consumers do not only have expectations of the tourism product itself, but they also have expectations in regards to the roles they play on trips and vacations. This opens a key opportunity for future research in this area, which seems to have been overlooked by researchers. The different factors determining tourist behavior have been discussed in Part VI of the book. An additional article that gives a deeper insight into the lifecycle and lifestyle determinants of tourism demand could have been included in addition to the existing two chapters. The title of the last Part VII in the book fits very well the content of its three chapters. This last part is focused on the impact of IT, media, and culture on the behavior of tourists and is a good natural ending to this handbook. Something that could have been included in this handbook is probably a chapter in which the link between general consumer behavior and tourist behavior is drawn. Although some of the chapters included in the handbook cover the specifics of tourist behavior, a separate chapter could have been included in the introductory section of the handbook. In addition to the useful chapters included in this handbook, the readers can also benefit from the references following each study, and pertaining to the different stages in the tourism consumption process. Overall this handbook is well structured and makes a good contribution to the increasingly significant area of tourist consumption and behavior. Ivan Ninov Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management, Dubai 29662, United Arab Emirates E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2009.12.006
201
Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences, Kevin Hannam, Anya Diekmann (Eds.). Channel View Publications, Bristol (2010). xiD241 pp., (pbk). ISBN-13: 978-1-84541-130-5 Contributing to the rapidly evolving canon of backpacker literature, Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences (2010), edited by Hannam and Diekmann, intends to advance discourse developed in The Global Nomad: Backpacker Travel in Theory and Practice (2004), and Backpacker Tourism: Concepts and Profiles (2008). The authors aspire to theoretically, methodologically, and geographically expand upon existing backpacker discourse. While a few authors contribute impressive new knowledge to backpacker scholarship, much of the book will be familiar territory for backpacker scholars. Theoretical and geographical expansion is weak while methodological advances are the most problematic with the majority of chapters bereft of transparent methodologies albeit with exceptions including the use of technology (see Paris Chapter 4) as well as the use of mobile ethnographies (see Johnson Chapter 7). Most chapters rely on qualitative methods and while potentially a response to the call for more in-depth understanding of backpackers (Hannam & Ateljevic, 2008), the lack of audit trails obfuscates the validity and reliability of conclusions. Omission is particularly relevant when antidotal evidence is utilized to invoke claims (e.g. utilizing a personal diary as empirical data, speaking to a single backpacker). This latest book in the series brings several relatively new scholars to the fore of backpacker research while simultaneously conspicuously absent of contributions by previous contributors to the series, many of who are well-established in this area of research. Hampton presents a first-person account of transitioning from backpacker to backpacker researcher. The trajectory and implications are explored with focus on the etic/emic dichotomy implying the need for increased reflexivity amongst backpacker scholars. This is a novel read especially for those who have traversed similar paths. Hampton is one of the few authors offering suggestions for future research. The work of Jarvis and Peel is based on survey work in Fiji resulting in baseline data on Flashpackers which previously had little empirical understanding outside of conceptualization. The concept of sustainable development in relation to the Flashpackers is explored and while the majority of chapters in the book lack a clear methodology, the work of Jarvis and Peel is a refreshing exception. Paris provides insight into the use of technology prior to, during, and after a backpacker journey. Using the internet to capture this highly mobile subculture is commended. Additionally, he assays just-in-time information and its relationship to backpacker decision-making. This contribution is methodologically strong albeit questions exist regarding the sample composite. Kanning (2009) found data presented in backpacker studies since the 1970s are bereft of, or minimal, in terms of representation by backpackers from the United States; in Paris’s work they were the largest cohort with no explanation. Limitations and delimitations need transparency and while this is a major drawback of the chapter it is not mutually exclusive to this chapter. Scott Cohen utilizes lifestyle theory to explore “lifestylers”, backpackers whose primary identity is being on the road interfused with periods of employment back home. His work emphasizes the increasing acknowledgement that the backpacker subculture is more heterogeneous than previously assumed. As a unique cohort, lifestylers seemingly share characteristics with the drifters which many scholars assume cease to exist. This work should open discussion regarding the operationalization of the modern day drifter. Just as the conceptualization of backpacker has evolved, so should the conceptualization of drifters.
202
Book reviews / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 195–206
O’Regan establishes a relationship between mobility and infrastructure. This conceptual chapter analyzes the dynamic symbolism of hostels yet offers little empirical evidence to support the conclusions. Butler increases understanding of hostel users by focusing on motivations for choosing Norway as a destination. Three types of visitor motivation emerge: the highly motivated destination visitor, the obligated visitor, and the opportunistic visitor. A short but important area that needs expansion is the role that choice/necessity of certain types of transport impact upon the backpacker experiences. Without explicit acknowledgement, the discussion dances around the Plog (1974, 2001) and Butler (1980) models. Johnson utilizes mobile ethnography focusing on the use of train space by backpackers while travelling thus expanding both the mobilities literature as well as the backpacker literature. One drawback is that Johnson needs transparency the sample composition as culturally certain nationality cohorts likely view and utilize space differently in their home country as well as during their travels. Bell presents a case study on backpackers in Mongolia adding to the geographical expansion of backpacker studies. Discussions regarding perceptions of risk and the influence on travel emanate from gleaning information from blogs and the author’s ethnographic diary that was based on “a few weeks” in the field. This is a one-off case study that should have incorporated theoretical grounding in Csikszentmihalyi’s (1975) Flow model. Myers indicates her work contributes to the body of gay tourism research yet connection to the backpacker subculture is nominal. Exploring lesbian backpacker’s individual and community identity within the backpacker subculture and the deliquescence of societal constraints of their home societies results in a unique exploration of this niche previously unexplored in the backpacker literature. Myers focuses on overcoming constraints albeit fails to indicate the constraints being overcome, are absent, or mitigated while when entering the liminal zone that backpacking offers. Methodologically Myers fails to make transparent her collection of data, sampling, and analysis. Overall the chapter lacks focus leading the reader to question what is attempting to be accomplished. Laythorpe expands on existing understanding of type and form of tourism related to, albeit not mutually exclusive from, backpacking. Voluntourism is studied through a lens integrating authenticity, immersion, and identity. Based on 10 volunteer/backpacker interviews conducted over an 18-week period, Laythorpe finds voluntourism is utilized as a conduit for becoming comfortable with travel on the African continent. Voluntourism, it is argued, offers a buffer for overcoming real and antecedent constraints associated with travel in this part of the world. The writing is rich in ideas and information albeit absent in proposed areas for future research albeit the reader walks away with a plethora of investigative ideas. Welk’s case study focuses on understanding backpacker destination development. Utilizing the Town of 1770, Australia, Welk amalgamates key dates and events outlining the evolution of Town of 1770 as a destination and while transparent about the dearth of available secondary data, key dates/events generally lack sources. Consisting of a single sentence, the methodology is mired in reliability and validity issues concerning conclusions reinforced by antidotal evidence exemplified by statements including ‘The author frequently heard’ or ‘a backpacker who travelled up the East Coast in 2004 claimed she had never heard of the place’. Participant observation, traveler blog analysis, and email interviews were utilized yet neglects to state how data analysis was conducted. Welk makes mention of the traditional resort lifecycle theories yet fails to identify them including the work of Butler (1980). One conclusion made by Welk is that a parallel emergence exists of “upmarket” resort tourism while simultaneously in the nascent stages of becoming a backpacker hotspot. Typically
accepted development models assume “upmarket” tourism follows backpacker tourism thus if the case made here is correct then scholars must revisit accepted lifecycle models. Bushell and Anderson impressively integrate theory and triangulated methods in their exploration of local community–backpacker relationships in Sydney. Unfortunately coverage of the Sydney agitation points between the two groups is covered extensively elsewhere (see Allon, 2004; Allon, Anderson, & Bushell, 2008; Wilson, Richards, & MacDonnell, 2008). The authors conceptualize that many community problems relate to the backpackers existing at “.the juncture between dwelling and travelling, and between mobility and stasis, where conflicts emerge over the identities of places and the production of localities as tourist commodities”(p. 201). The liminality of these geographical anomalies, whether enclaves or pseudo-enclaves, provides havens for backpackers who are viewed as existing in liminal zones arguably bereft of empathy for the local communities in which they temporarily reside. A poignant question is raised regarding how the backpackers can be teased out from permanent community members participating in socially deviant behavior. They further recommend enquiry into whether locals find it more desirable for backpackers to be diffused throughout communities or more confined to enclaves. Rogerson nicely explores the relationship between policy and backpacking in South Africa resulting in identification of fifteen key constraints potentially hampering destination development in the South African backpacker milieu. Tightly written with a good balance between descriptive data, conceptualization, and recommendations, the aim of the chapter was met which was to “unpack the development of policy and planning for backpacker tourism in South Africa” (p. 203). A gulf between academic books and journal research articles concerning rigor arguably exists and unfortunately this book reinforces this assertion. The previous book in the series, Backpacker Tourism: Concepts and Profiles (2008), by Hannam and Ateljevic (eds.), had similarly identified deficiencies (Bowen, 2009). The most unfortunate drawback to the book is the lack of a concluding chapter summarizing the chapter contributions. This deficiency is further exasperated by the lack of future research recommendations by the majority of chapter contributors albeit there are exceptions. If one is conducting backpacker research this book will likely contribute anecdotally to further understanding of this subculture although for most it is likely to be an exercise in re-familiarization with the previously existing literature. The aim of the book was not accomplished and as a tool for furthering backpacker discourse, it lacks any recommended direction thus somewhat leading the reader to wonder about the implications of the title Beyond Backpacker Tourism: Mobilities and Experiences. References Allon, F. (2004). Backpacker heaven: the consumption and construction of tourist spaces and landscapes in Sydney. Space and Culture, 7(1), 49–63. Allon, F., Anderson, K., & Bushell, R. (2008). Mutant mobilities: backpacker tourism in ‘global’ Sydney. Mobilities, 3(1), 73–94. Bowen, D. (2009). Review of the book backpacker tourism. Tourism Management, 30, 309–314. Butler, R. (1980). The concept of a tourist area cycle of evolution: implications for management of resources. Canadian Geographer, 14, 5–12. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: The experience of play in work and games. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Hannam, K., & Ateljevic, I. (2008). Backpacker tourism: Concepts and profiles. London: Channel View Publications. Kanning, M. (2009). Influence of overseas travel experiences on the worldview of U. S. backpackers. (Doctoral dissertation, Clemson University, 2008) Dissertation Abstracts International, 70/01, (UMI. No. AAT-3339412). Plog, S. (1974). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 14(4), 55–58.
Book reviews / Tourism Management 32 (2011) 195–206 Plog, S. (2001). Why destination areas rise and fall in popularity: an update of a classic. Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, 42(3), 13–24. Richards, G., & Wilson, J. (Eds.). (2004). The global nomad: Backpacker travel in theory and practice. Toronto: Channel View Publications. Wilson, J., Richards, G., & MacDonnell, I. (2008). Intra-community tensions in backpacker enclaves: Sydney’s Bondi Beach. In K. Hannam, & I. Ateljevic (Eds.), Backpacker tourism: Concepts and profiles (pp. 199–215). London: Channel View Publications.
Mark Kanning Department of Health and Human Performance, Texas State University-San Marcos, San Marcos, TX, United States E-mail address: [email protected] doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.06.022
Creating Irish Tourism. The First Century 1750–1850, William H.A. Williams. Anthem Nineteenth Century Series. London and New York (2010). ISBN-13: 978 1 84331 844 6. This book has been much needed and is most welcome. There has been of late a surge of excellent writing about the history of tourism in Ireland, but most of the attention has been on its more recent experience after the Famine and indeed post WW2. Although Mary Davies has charted the rise of Bray as a late eighteenth century seaside resort, in general much less has appeared on the early phase when Ireland first began to make an appearance as a tourist destination. The primary source for this excellent study is 100 or so travel accounts of Ireland written between c1750 and 1850, looking at where they visited, what they found, and assessing their reactions. These visitors, primarily British, were moneyed and leisured, and possessed of both curiosity and courage: getting to Ireland involved crossing the Irish Sea which until the coming of steamships in 1820s was always uncertain and sometimes dangerous. And Ireland had an uneasy reputation; agrarian unrest and an actual uprising in 1798 did not encourage tourism. Nor was Ireland possessed of as full a range of attractions as other parts of Britain or the Continent; it lacked a Walter Scott or a Shakespeare to put it on the literary tourist’s map; its museums, art and urban architecture were at best second division, its climate a mixed blessing, its culture and heritage suspect. What powered Hibernian tourism was landscape and scenery; as Williams points out, Killarney, the Giant’s Causeway and the Wicklow Glens were top ranking attractions to the European traveller in search of the picturesque. And Ireland had waterfalls and lakes aplenty; its great houses could offer policies, parks and walks with viewpoints and picnic stations, rustic temples and follies. Few saw any beauty in the bogs, or the absence of trees and the levels of poverty shocked some, not all of Ireland was attractive; but enough was. Williams divides his analysis into three parts. The first deals with the problems of getting to, and around Ireland. The railways were late on the scene in Ireland, and much rested on horse drawn transport, of which the jaunting car was one form. Accommodation was another issue for tourists; the amiability of hosts was not always matched by efficiency. Williams then reviews where people went and why; some were motivated by a desire to understand Ireland and the Irish, a question of weight for the British. The second part focuses in depth on the Irish landscape, with a fascinating section on the development of Killarney. It discusses the tourist experience; what the Irish of all classes gave and what they got; guides, beggars, singers and souvenir vendors and well as hotel proprietors and landowners. The final part looks inter
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alia at Irishness; what the visitors found different, distinctive and difficult in terms of language, religion and custom including pattern pilgrimage and fairs. What many visitors saw as the curse of Ireland, the backwardness of peasant agriculture leads to consideration of what remedies they proposed, and then to the consequences in the famine, and beyond There are interesting reflections on what tourism meant for visitors and visited; and lots of local detail; for example, the evolution of the kissing stone tradition at Blarney. Reflecting the sources used, what we have here is mainly based around the experience of the foreign visitor in Ireland, the British or American or even European visitor. But tourism in Ireland was more than tourism to Ireland. Irish spas and the Irish seaside did not draw visitors from outside Ireland but there was growing domestic tourism, day tripping and excursions by the professional classes of the cities. On this Williams is largely silent. But it did exist and was substantial. Whereas the flow of visitors to Ireland for most of the period may have been in the order of hundreds rather than tens of thousands, local tourism was much bigger. On one Sunday alone in August 1794, one observer counted on the road from Dublin to Leixlip spa more than 3000 en route by carriage and horse, and twice than number of pedestrians. There is the problem, of course, and this seems to be particularly acute for Ireland, of the absence of any quantitative data pre-1750 which could determine even in the broadest terms what the scale of tourism was, or how that changed, or even how many visitors there may have been at any given destination. But without visitors’ books or lists of visitors, that deficiency may be permanent. And what Williams gives us is plentiful indeed, a pleasurable, informative and important study, with very good footnoting. It is, and this is a shame, somewhat slipshod. There are surprising errors of fact – Thomas Cook becomes James Cook – and of spelling, even at the level of chapter headings, one of which is termed Semeiotics. But these are but midge bites which should not spoil a very worthwhile journey. Alastair Durie The University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK E-mail address: [email protected]
doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.07.004
Issues in Cultural Tourism Studies, M.K. Smith, (2nd ed.). Routledge, London (2009). pp. xvii D 251 (pbk). ISBN: 13: 978-0-41546712-4 Is all tourism cultural tourism? Cannot we delimit and define culture in such a way that it is seen not only from the substantive viewpoint but also gives weight to the intangible and value aspects, as also from the viewpoint of culturally cognized behavior? As this second edition of the book shows, there is still a lot of confusion over terms, definitions and other issues that are part of cultural tourism studies. This book is meant largely for, it seems, students or those in academics who have not got involved in the nitty-gritty of the subject. This shows in the sometimes plain language used by the author and at other times in the utilization of less-used words that indicate that one of the author’s intentions was to seek peer approval. The Introduction is well-written and appears to cover the many different ways in which the concept of culture is utilized, which sets