The Metaspatialities of Control Management in Tourism: Backpacking in India

Abstract

The need to predict and regulate outside interferences is a powerful everyday motivation which is further enhanced in Other culture situations. This paper explores the spatial and behavioural aspects of control as a result of cumulative learning in intercultural adaptation in tourism. An important geographical dimension of control management is the tactic of escape to the metaworlds: the ways tourists travel between the secluded metaspaces of tourism and the Other public space in order to regulate their exposure to cultural difference. In the case discussed -today's institutionalized backpacking in India -the perception of control is achieved by an interesting variety of spatiotemporal and behavioural decisions which together create the metaspatial dimension of tourism. The search for predictability and cultural dominance and the consequent segregation, rather than limitless individual exploration, construct the culture of today's international tourism.

The evolution of backpacker destinations: the case of Zipolite, Mexico

“…San Cristobal de las Casas and Tulum) and Central American destinations (e.g. Lake Atitlán region in Guatemala), as well as in several sites in Asia, such as Goa, India (Häusler, 1995;Hottola, 2005), Bali, Indonesia (Rodenburg, 1989), Boracay, Philippines (Smith, 1992) and some islands in southern Thailand (Schauber, 1995;Spreitzhofer, 1995Spreitzhofer, , 1998.…”

“…In this context, Uriely et al (2002) distinguish between 'form-related attributes' (i.e., mostly visible institutional arrangements through which tourists organise their journey) and 'type-related attributes' (such as psychological attributes, motivations for travel and the meaning of the travel experience). With respect to the form-related attributes, most authors consider the following criteria as defining: low average age (Riley, 1988;Murphy, 2000), independence from tour operators, flexibility of itinerary (Cohen, 1982;Scheyvens, 2001;Hottola, 2005), an extended period of travel (Loker-Murphy and Pearce, 1995;Sørensen, 2003), low travel budgets, and therefore demand for inexpensive accommodations and related tourist services (Spreitzhofer, 1995;Murphy, 2001), as well as making use of the locally available infrastructure (Hampton, 1998;Westerhausen and Macbeth, 2003). As Spreitzhofer, 1995 andUriely et al (2002, p. 523) state, there is little agreement with respect to the type-related attributes, such as a quest for adventure (Hampton, 1998) and authenticity (Scheyvens, 2002).…”

“…As recent research clearly shows (Hampton, 1998;Visser, 2004;Hottola, 2005), there is little doubt about growing demand for and further commercialisation of backpacker-related tourist services. This will foster investments at popular destinations.…”

The challenges of developing backpacker tourism in South Africa: an enterprise perspective

“…One is a stream of exclusively academic investigations which probe the cultural and social aspects of backpacking (e.g. Richards & Wilson, 2004d;Hottola, 2005;Muzaini, 2006;Teo & Leong, 2006). The other is a cluster of market-related and policy-relevant investigations (Richards & King, 2003;Richards & Wilson, 2003a,b;Newlands, 2004;Slaughter, 2004).…”

Catering to the Backpacker: The Transition of Backpacker Enclaves in Vietnam

“…Hottola (2005) views them as 'safe havens' or 'metaworlds' where travellers can exert more actual or perceived control over the often culturally confusing outside world. This focus has moved the analysis of backpacker enclaves forward but continues to focus on the structure of the backpacker enclave from the backpacker individual or group perspective.…”