Frontier tourism: Retracing Mythic Journeys

Tourism experiences can be interpreted and analysed using mythic constructs, which may help to explain some of the emotional attraction of destinations and shed light on tourist motivations. Tourists in the modern era can visit remote and exotic ‘frontier’ locations, which may involve the re-enactment of exploration myths through the retracing of famous historical journeys. This article considers the motivations behind metempsychotic tourist experiences, based on interviews with 37 participants and a content analysis of 50 texts written by and about these types of tourists. Findings suggest that these ‘voyages of discovery’ may be motivated in part by a desire for a truly authentic experience, regardless of the staging inherent in such an expedition.

Research highlights
► Frontier tourism involves tourists travelling to remote and risky locations.
► These tourists often follow in the footsteps of earlier explorers and adventurers.
► This article explores the motivations for these metempsychotic journeys.
► There are elements of role play, as well as authenticity in these experiences.
► These journeys can also be conceptualised as a form of heroic quest.