A Tourist Studying Tourism: More than visual consumption

Urry’s notion of the tourist gaze privileges the vision as the outstanding form of tourist experience, and thereby neglects other senses that are equally part of the touristic adventures. The embodiment approach emphasizes bodily sensations as an important part of perception within our touristic activities.[1] Sometimes the physical feeling is the most important component itself. For example in “muscular” tourism such as mountain-biking.

In my recent experience, feeling played the dominant component as the beautiful view at the Dead Sea ranks far below the physical experiences I enjoyed when floating on the salty lake. I remember very well other physical sensations such as the daily heat; the relief of the air-conditioning; the touch of warm sand or cold water; the warm carpet and the calmness inside the King Abdullah I Mosque; the delight of Jordanian food, especially the warmth and taste of Tabun, Bedouin bread or “Jordanian Pizza” as Omar calls it.

“Tourism is an emotional affair”[2] Our tourist experiences are lived through emotions such as fun, fear, excitement, joy, etc. Indeed, I have the most vivid memories that are the strongest connected to emotions and affects.

More than the visual and the pure physical, certain tourist objects – passports, cameras, vehicles, tour guides, dictionaries, – are part of shaping the tourist experience as their presence or their form influences the quality of the tourist experience. The objects bear qualities that facilitate our movement, interaction and comfort.[3] Moreover, souvenirs play an important role. They can have the meaning of a ‘piece of culture to take home’.

I realized that for me, souvenirs and photographs are a way of holding on to the experience, to preserve the memories visually rather than only in my head. Hence, the visual is undeniable important, and it is supportive for our memories of sensations, feelings and emotions.

[1] Edensor, T. “Tourism.” Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. (2009): 308-309.

[2] Dorina Maria Buda, Anne-Marie d’Hauteserre and Lynda Johnston, 'Feeling And Tourism Studies', Annals of Tourism Research 46 (2014): 103.

[3] Edensor, T. “Tourism.” Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK. (2009): 309.