You're A Celebrity...Get Me There!
Author: Emma Prior
2 Commentries
The aim of this paper is to analyse whether the demand of tourism can be higher with the presence of a celebrity. It focuses on how a celebrity chef restaurant can be a reason for visiting a place, and explains how an individual's actions are part of the tourist gaze which is affected by society (Urry 2002). Primary research of 30 questionnaires are used to analyse the reasons behind individuals decisions in going to a celebrity chef restaurant.
Postmodern society has an infatuation with celebrities, and anything celebrity related. They have a significant impact on the lifestyles and decisions that the public make (James 2007). The public have built up a pseudo-relationship with celebrities through the media, and form a type of bond, and want to get as close to possible as meeting them (Marshall 1997). The death of distance means society is making it easier to meet celebrities, without theoretically meeting them (Cairnscross 1997). People might not go to a place solely for a celebrity however their motives can be exerted by this influence (Zehrer & Siller 2007). Tourists go to particular places to consume types of attractions that generate pleasurable experiences which are different from their everyday lifestyle (Urry 2002). Restaurants are not necessarily primarily designed to attract tourists to an area, this is instead the objective of central attractions, i.e., events, and festivals, iconic monuments (Swarbrooke 1995; Aramberri & Butler 2005; Quan & Wang 2003). However celebrity chefs have the power to turn a restaurant from a secondary attraction to a primary attraction (Quan & Wang 2003), as they are seen as more important and appealing than ordinary people.
Tourists choose to go to places to gaze upon from the expectation constructed through the TV and other peoples stories (Urry 2002). Celebrity chef TV shows are viewed and conjure up images in the public's mind (Ketchum 2005). The public can't communicate how something tastes through the shows, but get intrigued of the tastes so want to go to fulfil their expectations (Ketchum 2005). Tourism products can't be sampled prior to purchase which means consumers need a type of trust with the service they will be using, this trust it enabled by the professionalism of the chef. By eating at a celebrity chef restaurant it can be said to be giving the persons tongue a holiday (Bell & Valentine 1997). The quality of food should be expected to create the packaged experience individuals desire, even if food quality isn't a main motivator (Pratten 2003), which primary research showed it often isn't. According to Bell & Valentine (1997) 'we are where we eat', which means to eat at a celebrity chef restaurant it produces a feeling of elegance and opulence (Ketchum 1002). The reason behind this is that celebrity restaurants make the public feel important as they are well looked after. Furthermore this status of elegance and opulence can be continued whilst stories and photographs are shared with others (Wagstaff 2008).
The public go to certain restaurants because it is seen as the in thing to do (Bell & Valentine 1997), and tourists often follow trends. To go to particular celebrity chef restaurants 2 months booking in advance is often required due to the substantial waiting list (Dine Online 2007). This signifies how fashionable these restaurants are; it is popular and therefore society want to gaze upon it (Urry 2002). A metaphorical approach to tourism is to be able to talk about the experience after it has been consumed (Perkins & Thorns 2001). It sounds good to speak amongst others about eating at a celebrity chef restaurant. It leaves a lasting memory in an individual's mind, making it valuable for years to come. It is valuable as the public's addiction to celebrities means admirers are able to follow them. It is not possible to interact with the celebrity at a restaurant, however a connection can still be formed by eating the foods they have cooked and being in their environments (Ketchum 2005). Primary research proved that the main reason of going to a celebrity chef restaurant is to be in touch with the celebrity, and consumers main value is that they take away the 'packaged experience to tell friends'.
This packaged experience offered by the celebrity chef can provide success in tourism by pulling in visitation figures. A new Rick Stein fish and chip shop in Padstow, Cornwall is seen as an improvement for the local economy through visitation figures (BBC News 2010). Furthermore in proposal for Spain to increase tourism figures, the world's most famous chef Ferran Adria has been selected to help restore the deprived sector by his restaurant El Bulli in Costa Brava (The Olive Press 2010). This is evidence of their power in society today.
This paper concludes how the demand for tourism can be higher due to a celebrity chef restaurant. People want to visit the restaurant, to gaze upon it as it can be seen as an iconic attraction, which individuals want to possess the memory of to share with others. Primary and secondary research showed that the majority of people are motivated primarily for the celebrity component due to the superiority of the current celebrity culture.
Key References
Ketchum, C (2005) The Essence of Cooking Shows: How the Food Network Constructs Consumer Fantasies, Journal of Communication Inquiry, Vol 29 (3) 217-234
Perkins, C, H., Thorns, C, D (2001) Gazing or Performing: Reflections on Urry's Tourist Gaze in the Context of Contemporary Experience in the Antipodes, International Sociology, Vol 16 (2) 185-204
Urry, J (2002) The Tourist Gaze, 2nd edition, SAGE Publications: London
Postmodern society has an infatuation with celebrities, and anything celebrity related. They have a significant impact on the lifestyles and decisions that the public make (James 2007). The public have built up a pseudo-relationship with celebrities through the media, and form a type of bond, and want to get as close to possible as meeting them (Marshall 1997). The death of distance means society is making it easier to meet celebrities, without theoretically meeting them (Cairnscross 1997). People might not go to a place solely for a celebrity however their motives can be exerted by this influence (Zehrer & Siller 2007). Tourists go to particular places to consume types of attractions that generate pleasurable experiences which are different from their everyday lifestyle (Urry 2002). Restaurants are not necessarily primarily designed to attract tourists to an area, this is instead the objective of central attractions, i.e., events, and festivals, iconic monuments (Swarbrooke 1995; Aramberri & Butler 2005; Quan & Wang 2003). However celebrity chefs have the power to turn a restaurant from a secondary attraction to a primary attraction (Quan & Wang 2003), as they are seen as more important and appealing than ordinary people.
Tourists choose to go to places to gaze upon from the expectation constructed through the TV and other peoples stories (Urry 2002). Celebrity chef TV shows are viewed and conjure up images in the public's mind (Ketchum 2005). The public can't communicate how something tastes through the shows, but get intrigued of the tastes so want to go to fulfil their expectations (Ketchum 2005). Tourism products can't be sampled prior to purchase which means consumers need a type of trust with the service they will be using, this trust it enabled by the professionalism of the chef. By eating at a celebrity chef restaurant it can be said to be giving the persons tongue a holiday (Bell & Valentine 1997). The quality of food should be expected to create the packaged experience individuals desire, even if food quality isn't a main motivator (Pratten 2003), which primary research showed it often isn't. According to Bell & Valentine (1997) 'we are where we eat', which means to eat at a celebrity chef restaurant it produces a feeling of elegance and opulence (Ketchum 1002). The reason behind this is that celebrity restaurants make the public feel important as they are well looked after. Furthermore this status of elegance and opulence can be continued whilst stories and photographs are shared with others (Wagstaff 2008).
The public go to certain restaurants because it is seen as the in thing to do (Bell & Valentine 1997), and tourists often follow trends. To go to particular celebrity chef restaurants 2 months booking in advance is often required due to the substantial waiting list (Dine Online 2007). This signifies how fashionable these restaurants are; it is popular and therefore society want to gaze upon it (Urry 2002). A metaphorical approach to tourism is to be able to talk about the experience after it has been consumed (Perkins & Thorns 2001). It sounds good to speak amongst others about eating at a celebrity chef restaurant. It leaves a lasting memory in an individual's mind, making it valuable for years to come. It is valuable as the public's addiction to celebrities means admirers are able to follow them. It is not possible to interact with the celebrity at a restaurant, however a connection can still be formed by eating the foods they have cooked and being in their environments (Ketchum 2005). Primary research proved that the main reason of going to a celebrity chef restaurant is to be in touch with the celebrity, and consumers main value is that they take away the 'packaged experience to tell friends'.
This packaged experience offered by the celebrity chef can provide success in tourism by pulling in visitation figures. A new Rick Stein fish and chip shop in Padstow, Cornwall is seen as an improvement for the local economy through visitation figures (BBC News 2010). Furthermore in proposal for Spain to increase tourism figures, the world's most famous chef Ferran Adria has been selected to help restore the deprived sector by his restaurant El Bulli in Costa Brava (The Olive Press 2010). This is evidence of their power in society today.
This paper concludes how the demand for tourism can be higher due to a celebrity chef restaurant. People want to visit the restaurant, to gaze upon it as it can be seen as an iconic attraction, which individuals want to possess the memory of to share with others. Primary and secondary research showed that the majority of people are motivated primarily for the celebrity component due to the superiority of the current celebrity culture.
Key References
Ketchum, C (2005) The Essence of Cooking Shows: How the Food Network Constructs Consumer Fantasies, Journal of Communication Inquiry, Vol 29 (3) 217-234
Perkins, C, H., Thorns, C, D (2001) Gazing or Performing: Reflections on Urry's Tourist Gaze in the Context of Contemporary Experience in the Antipodes, International Sociology, Vol 16 (2) 185-204
Urry, J (2002) The Tourist Gaze, 2nd edition, SAGE Publications: London