관광에서의 진정성 연구에 기여한 주요 학자들

Abstract

The concept of authenticity has played a crucial and unique role in the history of tourism studies, resulting in theoretical advancements through vigorous debates. Focusing on the fundamental mechanism of tourism, the normative characteristics of the authenticity concept have facilitated diverse academic perspectives and traditions to interact with one another. The current study aims to introduce four prominent scholars who significantly influenced the authenticity discussion in tourism studies and their conceptualization of authenticity. Daniel Boorstin pointed out mass tourism as a symbolic phenomenon of American society, which is full of fakes that seem to be real, and asserted that tourists only seek pleasure without interest in authenticity. Dean McCannell argued that tourists pursue authenticity, which is believed to exist behind commercialized tourist attractions, by using the concept of ‘staged authenticity’. Erik Cohen suggested that each tourist pursues authenticity to various degrees and that authenticity is not a fixed value but a negotiable value that continuously changes. Ning Wang proposed the concept of existential authenticity, arguing that the concept of authenticity can be applied to the subjective experiences of tourists. Each scholar's concept of authenticity reflects not only the scholar's view on tourism but also his/her academic trajectory, worldview, and historical context. This study provides an opportunity to reflect on how humans have established the normative value of ‘real’ in the behavioral context of tourism amid the progress of human civilization.