Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
socialization process through which the holidaymaker is sharing thoughts and emotions,
communicating and negotiating individual values and preferences with the other members
of the DM unit. Third, the consumer evolves in his/her life cycle and holidaymaker's 'career'
(Pearce 1988). As experience and maturity grows, there is a shift in holiday motives, involve-
ment, and expectation level. The novice tourist progressively becomes an expert. Finally, the
contemporary holidaymaker clearly fi ts into postmodernity: eclectic and insatiable, s/he looks
continuously for new experiences and to engage the emotions. While looking for authenticity,
s/he is not always in a position to perceive the difference between the 'genuine' and the 'fake' in
a hyperreal world.
The postmodern holidaymaker shows ever more complex desires, preferences, and behaviours.
Such an evolution fi ts into the socioeconomic changes that affect today's tourism and that
will impact on tomorrow's holidaymaking. Tourism practitioners should take inspiration from
such transitional changes described in
Figure 19.3
in order to propose exciting products to
holidaymakers, which allow them to meet the diversity of their needs. Tour-operators should not
only care for individual needs but they should also listen more closely to the wishes of the DM
unit, be it a couple, a family or a group of friends. Moreover, they should pay attention to the
increasing experience and maturity of many contemporary holidaymakers because involvement
and motivation spiral upwards as a consequence.
Finally, postmodern tourists no longer satisfy themselves with a passive role of
consumers
but
they wish to become
co
-
producers
of their choices and behaviours. They want to be more involved
in the creation of tourism offerings (co-creation of value) or in their travel activities (participatory
tourism). Creating value lies thus in the hands of both operators and tourists. Therefore tour-
operators should help travellers to develop their tailor-made trips through virtual interaction
(Internet, Web 2.0, etc.), but also keep offering 'easy' readymade stays. More broadly, tourism
professionals should avoid segmenting and targeting their markets too hermetically since tourists
more than ever appear chameleon-like and omnivorous in their tourism behaviour.
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