Tourism, From Definition to Redefinition in the New Era

In the process of rapid changes in the world, tourism is no longer just a journey of horizons, learning lessons, and moral experience, but is defined as a meaning-making phenomenon based on the actors' understanding of it under the economic-cultural background in every society. The diversity and multiplicity of actors and fields of tourism formation have led to the formation of colorful definitions of tourism. In the review of the existing definitions, characteristics and features of tourism were extracted and divided under the title of fundamental and desirable principles of tourism, but none of the definitions included these principles and features at the same time. However, even if a definition includes all of the principles, there are other essential features to understand and describe tourism as a multidimensional activity that is necessary but left out or ignored. The main goal of this research is to extract and infer the abandoned or neglected characteristics of tourism in order to redefine it.

Design/methodology/approach: 

The current research follows a descriptive-exploratory method in terms of its purpose and is a mixed study, composed of both quantitative and qualitative approaches.  In terms of the audience, this study is basic research.

The findings were reported in the form of existing definitions and characteristics of tourism (thesis), neglected characteristics of tourism (antithesis), and interpretation and combination of existing and neglected characteristics of tourism and its redefinition (synthesis).

As an important result of this research, in order to define tourism, it is necessary to first define the philosophical source and approach of definition and its position in the value system of the society; is it supply-oriented, demand-oriented, or holistic? In addition, within each approach, the full features of that approach should be considered. For this purpose, the concepts can be categorized and elementized so that the definition is not lost in the heart of words and concepts, and then the categories and elements are described in a continuum.

Originality/value:

 By emphasizing that "tourism is tourism", a redefinition of tourism was presented by combining existing definitions and newly identified elements.