Liminoidity in modern media tourism experiences: Understanding the uses and gratifications of fans visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Media tourism is a global phenomenon. Today, one in five tourists engage in media tourism when they travel (Connell, 2012). The phenomenon involves tourists visiting locations inspired by fictional or non-fictional media (including literature, film, and television). Research, including Beeton, 2016; Lovell and Thurgill, 2021; Reichenberger and Smith, 2020; has established that media tourism is a growing area of attention in the travel industry. However, there is an overall lack of research regarding the liminoid (defined broadly as the liminal-adjacent state) nature of media tourism phenomenon (Turner, 1974). To address such a gap in the literature, this dissertation employs the Uses and Gratifications Theory to draw connections from people’s media consumption at home to their media tourism experiences. It does so within the context of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) in Orlando, Florida. Specifically, this dissertation identifies and outlines the relationship between fan-tourists’ uses and gratifications of the Harry Potter series and the qualities of liminoidity fans experience while visiting WWoHP. It then develops a model of liminoidity grounded in the continuously occurring nature of modern, postindustrial societies.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Recreation, Sport, and Tourism

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Milazzo, Liselle

Contributors dc:contributor

• Santos, Carla A
• Shinew, Kim
• Nelson, Michelle
• Johnson, Laurie R

• Harry Potter
• Media Tourism
• Liminoid
• Liminal
• Ritual
• Uses And Gratifications Theory
• Fanship

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Liselle Milazzo

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117632

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117632