Changes in Authenticity and Alienation Following a Holiday

Abstract

Recent developments in existential authenticity and psychoanalytic alienation have challenged the traditional account of tourism’s contribution to authenticity. To evaluate these distinct accounts and advance authenticity scholarship, we examined the changes in authenticity and alienation from tourism to routine life, using a longitudinal design. The results suggest that authenticity decreased, self-alienation increased, and acceptance of external influences declined after touring. This implies that the traditional account of existential authenticity still holds; yet, there is a need to recognize the importance of autonomous decisions to authenticity fulfilment, and the effect does not last long. Therefore, the latest developments in existential authenticity and psychoanalytic alienation complement and refine traditional accounts. Overall, this study offers a parsimonious and direct evidence of tourism’s contribution to authenticity. The theoretical implications to authenticity, transformation, and wellbeing scholarship are also discussed.