Patterns of Binge Drinking at an International Nightlife Resort

Abstract

International nightlife resorts provide a context for excess in drug use and alcohol use. Alcohol poses a potentially severe threat to the short- and long-term health of young tourists, but little attention has been paid to form interventions targeting binge drinking in nightlife resorts.

Risk and transgression on holiday: 'new experiences' and the pied piper of excessive consumption

“…We sought to advance current knowledge, based in the main on surveys, by making use of both ethnographic and phenomenological approaches to 'capture' the group feeling and subjectivities attached to this form of holiday. Our data shows that the behaviours are not some pathology or defunct psychological attribute but present themselves in a social context designed for mass consumption (Miles, 2010); in the 'party destination' of San Antonio, Ibiza (Bellis et al, 2003;Calafat et al, 1998;Hughes et al, 2004) similar to other holiday contexts noted by other academics in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (Tutenges, 2010) Majorca, Spain (Hughes et al, 2009) and Spring Break destinations in the US (Josiam et al, 1998;Smeaton et al, 1998; see also Uriely and Belhassen, 2006;Segev et al, 2005). Indeed, it seems quite fitting that the British should be able to continue this level of consumption for, at a time when British tourism is faltering (IREFREA, 2007) and the local government is concerned about their 'image' (Payeras et al, 2011), one way for Ibiza to sustain its income is to continue to permit the economy to extract as much money from the British as possible but strategically restrict it to a permissive area on the island -namely the San Antonio drinking strip.…”

“…This seems to suggest that the behaviours for which they are blamed don't seem to be reflective of any subcultural resistance, opposition or subversive intent because they show conformity to the values of excessive consumption, and thereby fall under the banner of mainstreamised values and lifestyles of consumer capitalism (Redhead, 1990;Maffesoli, 1996;Bennett, 1999Chaney, 2004. What these youths want is not to change the social order, but to have a good time, right here, right now (Maffesoli 1985;1988;Tutenges 2010).…”

“…Bellis et al, 2000;Bellis et al, 2003;Hughes et al, 2004;Hughes et al, 2009). However, by comparison, there are few qualitative studies (but see, for example, Uriely and Belhassen 2006;Tutenges, 2010;Briggs 2013). Some British ethnographic studies focus on the role of gender spaces on holiday (Andrews, 2008;Thurnell-Read 2012) as they do on ex-patriots and their relationship with tourists (O'Reilly, 2000).…”

Sexy substances and the substance of sex: findings from an ethnographic study in Ibiza, Spain

“…Numerous studies indicate that British youth come to Ibiza with the intentions to 'party' (Calafat et al, 1998;Bellis et al, 2003;Hughes et al, 2004) and create memories which offer identity construction (Briggs et al, 2011;Tutenges 2010) -individually, socially and virtually. However, our data also indicates that the social context of San Antonio actively endorses and promotes alcohol consumption, drug use and sex (Bellis et al, 2003;Sellars, 1998).…”

“…In Britain and many other countries, the public opinion about young tourists is also ambiguous; critical and at times outright condemnatory (Hunt et al 2007;Andriotis 2010;Tutenges 2010). Likewise, the research on young nightlife tourists tends to be problem-focused with little attention to the pleasures of partying abroad.…”