Tourism and Existential Transformation: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract

Couched in the context of the experience economy 3.0, this research conceptualized transformations as changes in existential authenticity and anxiety, and phenomenologically explored the essence of a transformative tourist experience and subsequent long-term changes. This research uncovered nine chronologically ordered themes in which existentially oriented concerns were prevalent. It found that tourists did not reflect on existential givens in situ until a triggering episode initiated the meaning-making process. Existential anxiety felt post-trip was found to motivate tourists to resolve pertinent existential dilemmas and to initiate meaningful life changes. Participants sustained enhanced existential authenticity and became more sensitive to existential anxiety in their lives thereafter.

An existentialist exploration of tourism sustainability: backpackers fleeing and finding themselves

“…Also a devastating lack of chai in my life" (R). Underscored perhaps is the temporary state of existential authenticity which fades out following the end of the holiday (Wang, 1999), or even the way that tourism can trigger increased existential angst following return to the freshly apparent mundane (Kirillova et al, 2017). The same interpretations could apply to loss of comforting avoidance too.…”

“…These aspects make up the existential predicament inherent to all human beings as individuals are forced to confront the truth about the chaotic nature of life, certainty of death, and the responsibility and alienation implied by total freedom (Agarwal & Cruise Malloy, 2000;Kirillova, Lehto, & Cai, 2017). The first effect of existentialism is that it puts every individual in possession of themself as they are and places the entire responsibility for their existence squarely upon their own shoulders (Sartre, 1948).…”

“…Authenticity may be interpreted as an ideal state of fulfilment in which people can be true to themselves (Wang, 1999) and acts this way as opposed to becoming lost in public roles and public spheres (Berger, 1973). To be oneself means shedding culturally accepted and preserving intrinsically meaningful values (Kirillova, Lehto, & Cai, 2017) and transcending day-to-day behaviour or activities or thinking about the self (Steiner & Reisinger, 2006). Authenticity, involving the dissipating of deceptive consolations of today's concerns and inner realisation of one's own independent destiny, is a kind of honesty or courage as the authentic individual faces something which the inauthentic individual is afraid to face (Grene, 1952).…”

‘The smell of death and the smell of life’: authenticity, anxiety and perceptions of death at Varanasi’s cremation grounds

“…Research on the experiential aspects of authenticity has garnered considerable attention in the last decade. While Bruner (1991) describes tourists' desire for self-transformation through an encounter with 'authentic' cultures, more recently scholars examine the ways tourists understand authentic experiences and their own Being while on holiday (Belhassen, Caton, & Stewart, 2008;Brown, 2013;Buchmann, Moore, & Fisher, 2010;Kim & Jamal, 2007;Kirillova et al, 2016Kirillova et al, , 2017Rickly-Boyd, 2012b, 2013bVidon & Rickly, 2018;Wang, 1999;Wassler & Kirillova, 2019). Existential authenticity refers to an experience that involves a sense of self identity activated by the liminality of tourism and informed by both interpersonal (family ties, communitas) and intrapersonal dimensions (bodily feelings, self-making) (Wang, 1999).…”

“…Indeed, Vidon and Rickly (2018, p. 65) suggest 'alienation and anxiety act as important drivers in tourist motivation, spurring tourists on in their search for authentic experiences.' According to Kirillova et al (2017) 'prompted by existential anxiety, individuals are forced to confront the truth about the chaotic nature of life and certainty of death.' (p. 13), thus resulting in specific tourism choices.…”