Avoiding cultural misconceptions during globalization of tourism

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the current special issue of research related to cultural misconceptions during the globalization of tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

The four peer reviewed articles presented in this special issue are introduced.

Findings

All of the research articles examine the potential or actual result of misconceptions when different cultures interact. Culture identity is a common theme throughout the articles. Sub‐themes include how cultural identity is changed (positively or negatively) when other cultures interact. The data collection sites include: Zakopane, a small village of 30,000 residents located in the Tatra Mountains in the South of Poland; Ubud, a village in Bali, Indonesia; Great Britain and Ireland; Shandong, China; and a framework to compare data collected throughout different cultures in Asia. The first two articles presented examine the influence of tourism on a village. The third article focuses on service providers working in large cities. The fourth article examines what is considered to be the fastest growing tourist destination (i.e. China). Finally, the last article provides the reader with a theoretical framework.

Originality/value

The special issue on misconceptions addresses how the interaction of different cultures, for all the benefits, may also have negative repercussion on the host country and tourist. Instead of the traditional all white American sample, this call generated global insight. This article provides an introduction

Citation

Bickle, M.C. and Harrill, R. (2010), "Avoiding cultural misconceptions during globalization of tourism", International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 283-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/17506181011081460