This chapter includes:

• Definitions of the tourist and tourism.

• Conceptual and practical differences between tourism, recreation, leisure, tourists and visitors.

• The societal and personal roles of holidays.

• Holidays as periods of difference.

• The temporal construct of holidays.

Introduction

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce several themes to provide a holistic overview of the succeeding chapters. A holistic viewpoint is thought important because it provides a framework for which the succeeding chapters will complete the details. It also provides a signpost for the reader in that it helps to assess how the following chapters contribute to the whole. In several senses, the heart of this chapter is to be found in Figures 1.1 and 1.2, which adopt a chronological sequence from the initial search for information about a potential tourist destination, through the journey of reaching the destination and experiencing the place, to the final return home. Each stage produces its own experiences, but not all stages are of equal importance. Yet, each stage possesses opportunities that may make or mar the holiday. It is also further suggested that the return home is not the end of the holiday, but rather subsequent memories may well reconstruct the holiday into new sets of meanings as one reflects on what has happened in the light of subsequent life. But, to begin at the beginning, how is a tourist defined?

Defining the Tourist and Visitor

At the heart of tourism lies the experience of the tourist. If that experience is a satisfying one, the tourist may be motivated to return to the destination or attraction or may be motivated to repeat the process of travel or holidaymaking, or indeed recommend an activity or place to a friend. Two titles for this book presented themselves – ‘Tourist Experiences’ and ‘Visitor Experiences’.