Naturalizing touristification: Revisiting 'sensitive and balanced' tourism development

Touristification takes place when a local product, service or space has been significantly transformed because of tourism. For example, craft objects are no longer produced in traditional ways but mass produced into tacky... [ view full abstract ]

Touristification takes place when a local product, service or space has been significantly transformed because of tourism. For example, craft objects are no longer produced in traditional ways but mass produced into tacky tourist souvenirs. In some instances, touristified culture and nature are appropriated, integrated and accepted into society over time, thus the transformed culture and nature are ‘naturalized’.

The relationship between tourism and the host society is contentious. While there is resistance against touristification, tourism contributes to local community development too. Consequently many researchers and policy makers propose ‘sensitive’ and ‘balanced’ ways of managing tourism development. This presentation interrogates the concepts of ‘sensitive’ and ‘balanced’ tourism development.

These terms connote carefulness and thoughtfulness. There are however two inherent challenges in balanced touristification. These challenges are embedded in the moral limits of the market. The moral limits of the market are seldom debated outside philosophy but this paper attempts to draw the discussion into tourism studies.

The first moral limit stems from the belief that the market is able to put a price on everything, including cultural services and experiences of nature. So, for tourists who want to experience an authentic and intimate Christmas dinner with a local family during Christmas eve, what should be the price? Many will argue that the private family tradition is not for sale, and outside the purview of the market. But where is the limit? Who defines?

The other moral limit is the unequal distribution of costs and benefits in the tourism market. For example free admission to cultural and natural attractions often means that taxpayers foot maintenance costs; tourism businesses in many destinations profit from visitors without contributing directly to the maintenance of free attractions. The market does not distribute fairly.

In any balanced and sensitive tourism strategy, choices are still made. These choices must be transparent, and the manner that benefits and damages are distributed must be acknowledged and addressed. This means that the politics behind ‘balanced’ touristification must be addressed explicitly. Based on the researcher’s work, examples from Denmark, Singapore, and Malaysia will be used to illustrate the points.