TY - JOUR
T1 - The Tourist Gaze
T2 - Domestic versus International Tourists
AU - Stone, Lesego S.
AU - Nyaupane, Gyan
N1 - Funding Information:
We wish to thank Dr. Emily Bennitt for editing the final manuscript for us. We also acknowledge the University of Botswana’s Staff Training Unit for the financial support provided for this study’s fieldwork.
Funding Information:
We wish to thank Dr. Emily Bennitt for editing the final manuscript for us. We also acknowledge the University of Botswana?s Staff Training Unit for the financial support provided for this study?s fieldwork. The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2018.
PY - 2019/5/1
Y1 - 2019/5/1
N2 - This article investigates domestic and international tourists’ “gaze” using tourism imagery. Domestic and international tourists’ preferences are critically examined using the concept of the “tourist gaze” and “local gaze.” Through qualitative, in-depth photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) guided by 16 photographs covering various tourist attractions in Botswana, results indicate dissimilar tourist gazes between international and domestic tourists. Culture, livelihoods, and crowded spaces, with a variety of activities, influence domestic tourists’ gaze, whereas privacy, tranquility, and quietness influence the international tourists’ gaze. The tourist gaze thus can be seen as a culturally contingent concept that is not universal. Despite the differences, results indicate the continued promotion of an international tourist’s gaze. Results help explain low visitation by domestic tourists to protected areas in Botswana and Africa. In view of the study’s results, theoretical and policy implications are also discussed.
AB - This article investigates domestic and international tourists’ “gaze” using tourism imagery. Domestic and international tourists’ preferences are critically examined using the concept of the “tourist gaze” and “local gaze.” Through qualitative, in-depth photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) guided by 16 photographs covering various tourist attractions in Botswana, results indicate dissimilar tourist gazes between international and domestic tourists. Culture, livelihoods, and crowded spaces, with a variety of activities, influence domestic tourists’ gaze, whereas privacy, tranquility, and quietness influence the international tourists’ gaze. The tourist gaze thus can be seen as a culturally contingent concept that is not universal. Despite the differences, results indicate the continued promotion of an international tourist’s gaze. Results help explain low visitation by domestic tourists to protected areas in Botswana and Africa. In view of the study’s results, theoretical and policy implications are also discussed.
KW - Africa
KW - Global South
KW - destination image
KW - developing destinations
KW - local gaze
KW - nature-based tourism
KW - representation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85049869343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85049869343&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0047287518781890
DO - 10.1177/0047287518781890
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85049869343
SN - 0047-2875
VL - 58
SP - 877
EP - 891
JO - Journal of Travel Research
JF - Journal of Travel Research
IS - 5
ER -