WHERE ARE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE "GEOGRAPHICAL" APPROACH IN THE RESEARCH ON TOURISM? REFLECTIONS AFTER THE ANALYSIS OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN "FOLIA TURISTICA" JOURNAL IN THE YEARS 1990-2018

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of the article was to assess the place of geography in research, the results of which were published in "Folia Turistica" journal in the years 1990-2018. In the introduction, the author wonders what is characteristic of the subject of geographical research, or what distinguishes it from other areas of knowledge. Assuming that "geographicity" means to include the subject of research in the context of the spatial differentiation of a given phenomenon, the author determined that out of 485 texts published in "Folia Turistica" during the analysed period, 140 correspond to such defined "geographicity". In the further part of the article, the spatial scale of tourism research conducted from a "geographical" approach was addressed, as well as an attempt to answer the question: what problems were most often faced by the authors of the texts in "Folia Turistica" and from which geographical centres did they originate? Method. After determining which features texts written from a "geographical" approach should have, the article presents the results of the conducted research in this respect, referring to the main problems raised in articles considered as "geographical". Results. Many of the texts considered to be geographical were written by people who are not formally geographers. In the final conclusions, the author formulated a thesis stating that the border in the method of conducting research between studies on tourism from a geographical position and from the position of other sciences, is often unnoticeable. Research and conclusions limitations. The criteria for the selection of articles, although consistent with the adopted definitions of geography, were subjective. Practical implications. The article refers to other studies concerning the place of individual sciences in the achievements of "Folia Turistica" journal. Originality. The results of the query presented in the article cover all the issues of "Folia Turistica", including the issue already appearing in the course of writing this article. Type of work. The article is review in nature.