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develops and the form that the tourism development takes can also have an
impact on the rate of socio-cultural change.
The tourism industry often sells 'traditions' and 'exotic lifestyles' as tourist
attractions. Tourists often demand 'authentic' exhibitions of culture and life-
styles that are considerably different from their own (Bauman, 1996; Burns &
Holden, 1995; Graburn, 1989), even to the extent that 'spectacularisation' of
the host culture takes place (Stanley, 1998). In the name of protection of
traditions and cultures, tourism development ironically prohibits the
social and cultural changes that are seen as a precondition for further eco-
nomic development.
While tourists and the tourism industry do not always welcome a host
community's modernisation and the mimicking of Euro-American cultures,
they consciously or unconsciously demand Western amenities and conve-
niences in tourist facilities. Similarly, while the economic modernisation of
a host country is judged by readiness to copy the Euro-American economic
model, the level of cultural modernisation is not. Modernisation of culture
and lifestyles are often denounced as 'cultural imperialism', 'demonstration
effects' and 'assimilation'. While tourists sometimes search for the past and
for nostalgia through their international travels (Lowenthal, 1985), they dis-
approve of the modernisation of a host community through the loss of its
'charm' and traditions.
Mathieson and Wall (1982) identified three major types of culture that
are both susceptible to change and attractive to tourists:
(1) Inanimate forms of culture (historical buildings, monuments, traditional
arts and crafts);
(2) Reflection of normal day-to-day life and activities of the host community;
(3) Animated forms of culture (religious events, carnivals and traditional
festivals).
It seems that the preservation and conservation of inanimate forms of cul-
ture and animate forms of culture are unanimously agreed upon as being
important and are recommended as attractions by international agencies,
the tourism industry, tourists and often by the host communities.
Preservation and conservation of these forms of culture can contribute not
only to the strengthening of the social and cultural identities of host com-
munities but also to the stimulation of economic activities. However, it is
the change in the 'reflection of normal day-to-day life and activities of the
host community' that is often argued as an unwanted, rather than desirable,
transformation undergone in the name of economic improvements. Having
said this, socio-cultural factors that are influenced by tourist activities are
the most difficult to measure and quantify. While economic and environ-
mental factors lend themselves to objective measurements, the impact of
socio-cultural change is often highly qualitative and subjective in nature
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