Volume 3 No 2, 2005

Postmodernist Theory and its Relationship to Tourism Research

Allan Edwards & Dr James Skinner
School of Education & Professional Studies
Faculty of Education, Griffith University
Australia

Keith Gilbert
Bowater School of Management and Marketing
Faculty of Business and Law
Melbourne Campus,
Australia

Abstract

This article highlights the theoretical notion of Postmodernism and attempts to place Tourism research into the postmodernist frame of reference. This is achieved by a brief description of the theory and further development in section two which reviews the challenges of postmodernism to research in the tourism field. There is then an endeavour to intertwine the constructs of postmodernist theory and to illustrate how it can relate to the tourism industry and in particular contemporary tourism. Indeed, we argue that even though a number of authors have begun to chart the sociological dimensions of post-modern tourism they have done so without highlighting the definitions and structure of postmodernist theory. Examples are given in order to support the theoretical approach to research which we suggest in this paper and every effort is undertaken in order to argue that postmodernist research in tourism can be beneficial and fruitful for future directions. Consequently this article attempts to dispel some of the widespread bemusement concerning post-modern theories and post-modern tourism by reviewing some of the recent developments in the area and suggesting further research.

Key Words: Post-modern Tourism, Tourism Examples, theory, contemporary theory.