Exploring the Phenomenon of “Superficial Appreciation” in Tourism

The research examines at how digital tourism encourages superficial appreciation, in which tourists prioritize visual elements over cultural or historical characteristics, motivated mostly by posts on social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook. The research combines Social Influence Theory (Kelman, 1958), the Tourist Gaze theory (Urry & Larsen, 2011), and Authenticity (Wang, 1999) principles to investigate the impact of visual framing by social media influencers on visitor experiences and activities. The study used qualitative approaches, including 16 semi-structured interviews, an analysis of 200 social media posts, and 100 hours of digital observation. According to research, posts that are solely focused on aesthetics lead to superficial interactions with heritage, which lead to commercialization and cultural significance degradation. Tourism stakeholders might profit from the research's practical techniques, which include ethical interactions with influencers, purposeful storytelling, hybrid digital tools, and new engagement metrics. The recommended techniques help to promote both genuine cultural representation and sustainable tourist practices. The study contributes vital insights to conversations about social media's impact on tourism and offers techniques for protecting cultural assets in our growing digital ecosystem, which is defined by visual and performative content. Keywords: , ,, Social Media, Cultural tourism, Tourist gaze, Instagrammability

Author dc:creator

• Dsouza, Rita Lia

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• McLean, Ann-Kathrin

• School of tourism and hospitality management

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20453

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28889