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The Coming Plague of the Fugue and the Blind Tourist?

Reid, Stuart LU orcid and Ek, Richard LU (2020) 2nd International Conference of Critical Tourism Studies Asia Pacific p.53-53
Abstract
We ask if mass tourism, morphing into over-tourism, can be conceptualised as an emerging plague of zombie tourists, and what kinds of tourism futures might come of it? Overtourism is not only unsustainable; it is the logical outcome of capitalism and thus, a token signifying that the capitalist system is well and alive even though it is threatening everything else on Earth. We outline a drastic narrative of this unsustainable phenomenon, characterizing it as a pathological condition that chisels-out a zombie tourist, well-travelled but at the same time oblivious to the tourist destinations he or she passes through. We further argue that the entrance of social media and digital portable technological devices have increased this pathological... (More)
We ask if mass tourism, morphing into over-tourism, can be conceptualised as an emerging plague of zombie tourists, and what kinds of tourism futures might come of it? Overtourism is not only unsustainable; it is the logical outcome of capitalism and thus, a token signifying that the capitalist system is well and alive even though it is threatening everything else on Earth. We outline a drastic narrative of this unsustainable phenomenon, characterizing it as a pathological condition that chisels-out a zombie tourist, well-travelled but at the same time oblivious to the tourist destinations he or she passes through. We further argue that the entrance of social media and digital portable technological devices have increased this pathological state as it has added a self-centric, narcissistic dimension into the set of touristic practices to a degree that the zombie tourist even runs an increased risk of ending up dead. Secondly, we present two bifurcated scenarios presenting possible trajectories for future tourist practice, both less reliant on physical long-distance travelling: the implantation of digital memories in the individual tourist’s mind and consciousness and “staycation” tourism, i.e. short trip close to the home of the tourist. These two more optimistic scenarios bring some relief to the environmental situation generally and the social situation of overtourism already emerging at many destinations. But, at the same time, these two scenarios are nevertheless embedded in a pathological capitalism and are perhaps bound to create new societal and environmental problems, possibly bringing new kinds of unsustainability. Or? (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Tourism, Science Fiction, Futures, Dystopia, Utopia, Zombie trope, Critical Theory
pages
1 pages
conference name
2nd International Conference of Critical Tourism Studies Asia Pacific
conference location
Wakayama, Japan
conference dates
2020-02-17 - 2020-02-19
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
139fa8b9-7cd2-439c-9b25-32643bdd17ea
alternative location
https://www.criticaltourismstudies.com/uploads/8/9/2/0/8920937/program_cts-wakamaya_e-book_final.pdf
date added to LUP
2021-02-14 20:23:01
date last changed
2021-02-15 08:47:30
@misc{139fa8b9-7cd2-439c-9b25-32643bdd17ea,
  abstract     = {{We ask if mass tourism, morphing into over-tourism, can be conceptualised as an emerging plague of zombie tourists, and what kinds of tourism futures might come of it? Overtourism is not only unsustainable; it is the logical outcome of capitalism and thus, a token signifying that the capitalist system is well and alive even though it is threatening everything else on Earth. We outline a drastic narrative of this unsustainable phenomenon, characterizing it as a pathological condition that chisels-out a zombie tourist, well-travelled but at the same time oblivious to the tourist destinations he or she passes through. We further argue that the entrance of social media and digital portable technological devices have increased this pathological state as it has added a self-centric, narcissistic dimension into the set of touristic practices to a degree that the zombie tourist even runs an increased risk of ending up dead. Secondly, we present two bifurcated scenarios presenting possible trajectories for future tourist practice, both less reliant on physical long-distance travelling: the implantation of digital memories in the individual tourist’s mind and consciousness and “staycation” tourism, i.e. short trip close to the home of the tourist. These two more optimistic scenarios bring some relief to the environmental situation generally and the social situation of overtourism already emerging at many destinations. But, at the same time, these two scenarios are nevertheless embedded in a pathological capitalism and are perhaps bound to create new societal and environmental problems, possibly bringing new kinds of unsustainability. Or?}},
  author       = {{Reid, Stuart and Ek, Richard}},
  keywords     = {{Tourism; Science Fiction; Futures; Dystopia; Utopia; Zombie trope; Critical Theory}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  pages        = {{53--53}},
  title        = {{The Coming Plague of the Fugue and the Blind Tourist?}},
  url          = {{https://www.criticaltourismstudies.com/uploads/8/9/2/0/8920937/program_cts-wakamaya_e-book_final.pdf}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}