The Search for Authenticity

The Search for Authenticity in Tourism and Conservation Ventures

Marisol Mayorgammayorga @ksu.edu

May 2014

In this globalized world, how does your organization stand out?

The issue

The issue

• As globalization advances, cultures become homogenized.

The issue


• Places look like any other, languages disappear, and multinationals are omnipresent.

The issue


• Places look like any other, languages disappear, and multinationals are omnipresent.

• Authentic experiences are harder to find for a tourism market that increasingly seeks them out.

Overview• The Concept of Authenticity. Why now?

• Customer Sensibilities• The Progression of Economic Value

• The Offering and Perception of Authenticity• Landscape of Authenticity

• Implications for Protected Areas• Interpretation and Authenticity

The Concept of Authenticity. Why Now?

Today, customers want experiences that:

Feel real

Fashion self-image

Feel trustworthy

•Pay for experiences that feel real, authentic.

•Deal less with technology, more with “real people”

Feel real

•Create their own social reality through self-expression

•Adjust the perception of authenticity to self-image of different generations

Fashion self-image

•Trust in transparency of social institutions (business, education, government, charity, church)

Feel trustworthy

Customer Sensibilities

“What customers buy must reflect who they are and who they aspire to be in relation to how they perceive the world.”

Customer Sensibilities

Economic output Commodities (Agrarian)

Goods (Industrial)

Services Experience

Business imperative Supply Control Improve Render

Customer sensibility Availability Cost Quality Authenticity

Added by Pine & GilmoreTraditional Model

The Progression of Economic Value

Extract commodities

Make goods

Deliver services

Stage experiences

Guide transformations

(Render authenticity)

(Improve quality)

(Control costs)

(Supply availability)

Added by Pine & GilmoreTraditional Model

Extract commodities

Make goods

Deliver services

Coffee Shop, Café BrittCosta Rica

Coffee Tour, Café BrittCosta Rica

Stage experiences

Guide Transformations

The Offering and Perception of Authenticity

Landscape of Authenticity

• Organizations offer five genres of perceived authenticity



• Each one is connected to the economic offerings (commodities, goods, services, experiences transformations)



• Each one is connected to the economic offerings (commodities, goods, services, experiences transformations)

• They are related to the design of places, objects, and activities

Commodities –Natural authenticity

Goods –Original authenticity

Services –Exceptional authenticity

Experiences –Referential authenticity

Transformations –Influential authenticity


Commodities –Natural authenticity. Natural state in or of the earth, remaining untouched by human hands; not artificial or synthetic. Kew Botanical Garden

England

Goods –Original authenticity. Originality in design, being the first of its kind, never before seen by human eyes; not a copy or imitation. Fort Jesus,

Kenia

Services –Exceptional authenticity. Done exceptionally well, by someone demonstrating human care; not unfeelingly or disingenuously performed. Fort Jesus,

Kenia

Experiences –Referential authenticity. Refers to other context, drawing inspiration from human history, tapping into our shared memories. Tower fo Belem,

Portugal

Transformations –Influential authenticity. Exerts influence, calling human beings to a higher goal; not inconsequential or without meaning. Cross made out of bullet case,

Liberia

Implications for Touristic and Conservation Venues

• Appling all five genres is not always possible, not even desirable.

• A (well executed) combination, however, might appeal to the desire for authenticity.

Interpretation and Authenticity






Connections, meanings

Design, management






•Authenticity on tourists’ overall experience plays an important role to influence the customers’ visitation choices



•Interpretation could play a fundamental role revealing the authenticity of a place, for the audience to create connections and meanings.

Thank you !

The Search for Authenticity in Tourism and Conservation Ventures

Marisol Mayorgammayorga @ksu.edu

May 2014

The Search for Authenticity

Services

Transcript of The Search for Authenticity