The Pandemic of Tourism: How Tourism Has Become an Unsustainable Luxury

Abstract

This chapter aims to establish the relation of luxury tourism to sustainability and questions whether tourism in its current form is not itself a luxury. By analysing consumer travel motivation and demands of luxury tourism, we examine the impact of these perceptions and ask whether Anthropocene tourism does not by definition have a negative impact on the environment. A new concept of luxury has developed clearly illustrated by a move from Maslow’s (1943) ‘esteem’ to the top tier of ‘self-actualisation’ as reflected in Pearce and Lee (2005) Travel Career Ladder and top tier of personal fulfilment. This move has led to a decline in physical trophy collection, but rather the desire for luxury is taking on a new definition more about a perception of environmental connection, personal fulfilment and finding a brand or experience that shares similar values to the consumer. The commodification of nature has led to new forms of tourism concentrating on connecting to places, people and causes. An analysis of tourism growth impact in the Global North and South, and neo-colonisation in tourism highlights the contradictions within sustainable goals and tourism. It is increasingly difficult to categorise tourism as sustainable or unsustainable, luxury or non-luxury, but rather this chapter questions whether tourism itself has become an unsustainable pandemic and an indefensible luxury.

Citation

Hindley, C., Legrand, W. and Laeis, G.C.M. (2022), "The Pandemic of Tourism: How Tourism Has Become an Unsustainable Luxury", Kotur, A.S. and Dixit, S.K. (Ed.) The Emerald Handbook of Luxury Management for Hospitality and Tourism, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 479-496. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-900-020211024