An Investigation of Modernist Utopias on Tourism and Postmodern Critique of Modernist Tourism Practices

Abstract

In general, the aim of this manuscript is to investigate the impact of modernism in tourism practices in detail and provide a sound critique based on the change of mentality with the post-modernist Age. The paper will start with a body of literature on the modernist utopias specifically in the context of tourism, and then it will provide a post-modernist point of view in order to critically evaluate the modernist practices taking place in contemporary tourism sector. The methodology will be literature review and critical evaluation of the findings on the possible impacts of modernism on tourism sector and motivation of stakeholders, local governments and states in tourism activity. In conclusion, the study aims to find that modernist ideals have a significant impact on touristic activities, especially those which take uniform tastes of individuals for granted and fail to capture the fact that different people may have different tastes, and therefore, search for a different and privatized experience for themselves, which they can evaluate based on the closeness to their self-images. Furthermore, the paper will argue that current applications in tourism are also subject to change as well. Therefore policies targeted to develop the effectiveness of tourism must be adjustable for possible changes in the future; otherwise they will perish soon given the rapidly changing technological and global settings in the world.