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Volcanic challenge to slow the travel down?

Volcanic challenge to slow the travel down?
Author: Joanna Slomiak
1 Commentries
Iceland erupting volcano has obligated many to discover travelling on the terra firma across Europe. For the first time more than a few could experience the view of Europe's countryside through the train windows, cross the English Channel by rail or.. stay longer than it had been planned in the destination. Even though many would claim it was an unnecessary waste of time, some admit it was an intriguing adventure. Was it the adventure of slow travelling?

Slow travel as avoiding clock watching?

To elude perpetual hurry while travelling, reduce our footprint to maximum or track the last rhinos in Borneo is not exactly what slow tourism is about. It is indeed quite a new trend; derives from Slow Food movement which was established in 1989 with new principles contradictory to fast food and fast life and the life of disappearance of local food traditions (Jones et al. 2003). After the Slow Food, other concepts were created, first of all the Cittá Slow. Cities are normally spaces associated with fast life, however Slow Cities are places where inhabitants and local leaders focus on local history and make use of the diverse local environment to expand it in better and more sustainable ways. In general, both movements pay attention to local distinctiveness trying to bring together the three E's of sustainable development (MacDonald, 2002). If tourist visits a Slow City he is considered as 'temporary resident' in there (The Cittá Slow Philosophy) and he is motivated to enter into the slow movement. As a result of its special design, Slow Cities offer to a visitor 'slow' civic spaces different than a shopping precinct or promenade because they are built to gather people in one area rather than speeding them up (Parkins et al, 2006).

Tourist Gaze, Authenticity and Tourist Motivations

The distinctive tourist gaze derives from certain aspects which distinguish one place among the others (Urry, 2002). Later Urry (2002) also mentions important factors which characterize tourist gaze like unique objects and authenticity seeking. Slow tourist rather than for the objects themselves looks for particularly different contentment which imply distinct senses, such as slow way of eating, savouring the meals and appreciating the way food is produced. For slow travellers who aim to reduce volume of experiences in order to focus on quality it means that moving in a slower experience's pace they absorb surroundings more naturally and not seek for those unique signs and objects because they are soaking up environment as a whole. What is more, slow travellers they do not essentially look for different experiences from their day-to-day life because slow tourism is more about the entire lifestyle than a single occurrence.
Nevertheless, slow travellers can also be looking for a typical English village but rather than renting a car and going from one town to another they would take a bicycle and try to stay in the area using the "concentric circles" theory for day trips (touring area as series of concentric circles around the base, seeing what is close to the base instead of dashing about on long day trips to get the "must-sees"; slowtrav.com). Likewise, more than particular signs, slow travellers try to find more savour in what they experience; the food they choose, the clothes they wear, the cars they drive, the places they visit, everything has an importance. And since it is not about doing everything at a snail's pace, it is about living one's life rather than rushing through it.

Authenticity seeking in slow travel can be described by Wang's existential authenticity (1999). He argues that it is not objects or attractions themselves but the reaction that is produced by tourist through particular tourism experience that is desired. Existential authenticity thus describes the way in which tourists, by participating in holiday activities, can construct their identity to experience a more authentic sense of self. This applies to slow travel regarding in fact the whole concept of slow travellers who, considering their identity, try to do things better (what does not mean slower and lazier but better, mindfulness) contradictory to the world going faster and faster. They believe that life happiness comes through savouring the current experience before planning the following one (Palmer, 2008).

Reviewing the theory of tourists motivations and behaviour (Robinson et al. 2000) there are few main points to underline. Going through the blogs and forums treating about slow movement, there are few profiles of travellers which reveal, such as:
a. Young people looking for alternatives, who set off from what today's fast world offers them;
b. (mostly wealthy) people who experienced the speed of career in their lives and got fed up with it, which leads in turn to change of their lifestyle;
c. Others who came across the slow travel through different ways of slow movement or responsible, sustainable living like Slow Food, Cittá Slow etc.

Finally, whether it is branded 'green', 'slow', 'authentic', 'sustainable' or 'ethical', it is to challenge the responsibility of ourselves, our environment and community, and what is more, of our Planet Earth. All these is an attempt to look for more authentic understanding of surrounding us world. Let us remember: the journey always starts at home (A Manifesto For Slow Travel).
To finish the whole discussion with a citation found in one of the Slow Travellers' blogs:
"Travelling slowly has allowed us to see the best of the world and its people. It forces you to embrace the 'nowheres' of the world, leaving the tick list of the well trodden path to faster moving folk. The more time you have and the less things you must see the more open you are to unknown experiences and people." (Gee, 2009)


KEY REFERENCES:
Gardner, N. (2009). A Manifesto For Slow Travel. Hidden Europe [online] issue no 25. [Accessed: 12 April 2010]. Available at: < http://www.slowtraveleurope.eu/slow-travel-manifesto>
Jones, P., Shears, P., Hillier, D., Comfort, D., Lowell, J.. (2003). Return to traditional values? A case study of Slow Food. British Food Journal. 105 (4/5), 297-304.
Urry, J. (2002), The Tourist Gaze. 2nd ed. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
Wang, N. (1999). Rethinking authenticity in tourism experience. Annals of Tourism Research. Vol. 26, No 2. Pp. 349-370
There still is hope.
Author: Lech Guzowski
The reason for choosing this paper is threefold. First, it is a very-well written piece of work which ease to follow. Second, the concept of tourist gaze is amongst my interests. Finally, volcanic ashes prevented me from going on trip that I had been looking forward to for over two months and denied me the possibility of experiencing what southern Portugal and Spain have to offer.

A noteworthy and very interesting piece of information in this paper is the part describing the concept of slow tourism. In my personal research when writing about the tourist gaze I came across it, but decided not to dwell into it, however now I wish I had as it would bring benefit similarly as it enriches this piece of work.

The point of view presented in this paper follows concept of the tourist gaze which encourages people to leave their daily chores and visit places that are cannot be witnessed in their everyday surroundings (Urry, 2002). It also advises to take one's time when visiting places instead of rushing from one to another. Only that way can an attraction, whatever it might be, can be full appreciated. Sometimes less IS better. Being able to engage in the social life of a destination, mingling with the local getting off the beaten track requires time but surely pays dividend.

This paper provides a great argument in the tourist vs. traveller debate in favour of the traveller. Kubalek (2008) said that nowadays tourism revolves around place that must be seen. However it has been questioned many a times concerning the authenticity such an experience (Kendle, 2006). By describing several examples slow tourism and discussing the authenticity of travel, especially Wang's existential authenticity, the author managed to capture the essence of the very point of the tourist gaze.

Although the paper touches upon the motivations for travel presented by Robinson et al, it would be of substantial benefit if further examples of investigation of what makes people chose their destination took place. Urry (2002) said that tourist choose the sights to gaze upon on the basis of anticipation of intense pleasure that is usually triggered by TV, literature, records or videos, or the desire to see a live event that is scheduled to take place. In other words, people feel the need to be in a close physical proximity to a monument or landscape.

All in all, this is an excellent piece of work that manages to present fresh ideas on old concept. The author presented great examples which have been backed by theory. Above of all however, the paper conveys a vital point. Namely, even in a world where everything is faster and faster it is still possible to stop and spare time to savour sights that one visits. It is down to the individual to do so.

Kendle, A. (2006) 4 Ways to be a traveller, not a tourist [online]. Accessed April 7 2010 at < http://www.vagabondish.com/4-ways-to-be-a-traveler-not-a-tourist/ >

Kubalek, P. (2008) The Tourist Gaze. Chelsea College of Arts and Design, MA Graphic Design Communications 2008.

Urry, J. (2002): The Tourist Gaze, 2nd Edition, London: Sage