Anthropology of Tourism

The anthropology of tourism examines the sociocultural and behavioral aspects of tourism and its tangible and intangible effects on human populations. As the social scientific study of humans in all forms, anthropology has, since the latter half of the 20th century, become increasingly concerned with tourism as a source of individual and societal transformation; intergroup interaction and exchange (material and immaterial, economic and political); mobility; identity formation and (self-)representation; and meaning making.

Anthropology does not look at tourism solely as an “industry,” either in a managerial or an economic sense; nor is it seen as a monolithic global entity. It also does not treat tourism as a frivolous activity but rather as highly contextual, varied, and meaningful social practices within and between groups. After providing a ...