Constructing the touristic flair

Tourism is a business that works to attract people with the extraordinary, sold as authentic cultural attributes. This commodification is termed “staged authenticity.”[1]  A typical critique complains that conventional tourism is inauthentic, artificial, exploitative, commercialized.[2] Seeking authenticity, some attempt to escape mass tourism. Others enjoy the created authenticity of the tourism business nonetheless. A postmodern critical perspective undermines the relevance of authenticity, for, many prefer inauthentic representation as a more comfortable and reliable experience. Furthermore, in refusing the notion of uniqueness and universal truths, postmodernity denies authenticity to appear in a one-and-only form.[3]

The Bedouin locals in Petra became exposed to tourism when the site opened for the public. They entered tourism business, offering carriage, donkey and camel rides and selling souvenirs. Many dress up in remarkable clothing with accessories. This is their way to attract tourists – and it works!

So, is this the quintessence of inauthenticity? On the contrary, I call it an authentic and effective tourist attraction. It is authentic in the sense that this is exactly the kind of tourist attraction that fits to real authentic tourist experiences.  

Obviously this 'Jack Sparrow dress-style' is an imitation, contrary to the definition of the authentic being of undisputed origin and genuine.[4] Yet, in combination with the Bedouin-camel, it becomes an original style for the Bedouin.  In the sense that “authenticity is constantly created and reinvented,”[5] the authentic Petra-Bedouin clothing is influenced by tourism. It is the Bedouin’s daily ‘work clothes’ so to speak, which makes it in the present day – authentic.

One may argue we were fed the commodified version of Jordanian culture. However, this commodification does not make our cultural experience less authentic. It depends what we expect from authenticitiy. There is no single, authentic form of experience – but a multitude of authentic experiences.[6]

Upshot: Authenticity is relative.

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[1] Stephen Williams, Tourism Geography (London: Routledge, 2009), 135-137.

[2] Luis-Manuel Garcia, 'Techno-Tourism And Postindustrial Neo-Romanticism In Berlin's Electronic Dance Music Scenes (Draft)', University of Groningen (2015).

[3] Stephen Williams, Tourism Geography (London: Routledge, 2009), 135-137.

[4] Dictionary.com, 'The Definition Of Authentic', last modified 2015, accessed September 5, 2015, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/authentic.

[5]  Stephen Williams, Tourism Geography (London: Routledge, 2009), 135-137.

[6] Ibid.

The Bedouin people of Petra…

… attracting the tourist 'Jack-Sparrow-style'