Glorifying Nature: The Case of Tourism

New Trends in Tourism

Aligned with the increased attention on climate change and protecting our natural environment is tourism. The article from Dorsey, Steeves, and Porras (2004) echoes the concept that the tourism industry has utilized this increased global awareness on climate change to generate interest for traveling to locations where the primary activity is experiencing the natural environment (p.753). For example, the video below promotes traveling through Africa, with the main commodity being the attraction of exploring the natural environment.  

   

A Deeper Analysis of this Trend

From the first glance, this trend that advocates for traveling to experience the beauty of the natural world seems like a good way to have fun and support the global economy. However, as Adams' article (2013) points out, there are some issues within this trend that must not be overlooked. Adams' work demonstrates how the public's growing interest and awareness in the natural environment, is being used to create unrealistic expectations of nature (2013, p.430). Since there is a growing interest in the environment, there are a increasing number of exhibits to experience a simulated version of nature, like zoos and aquariums. However, what customers of these environmental representations receive, is a commercialized version of the real thing (Adams, 2013, p.430). What this means is that when people go to these nature exhibits such as zoos and aquariums, they are not experiencing nature as it is in the world. They are experiencing a glorified version of this environment that is strategically constructed by people to create the most aesthetically pleasing version of nature. This type of misleading information can elicit a disappointing affect when people actually experience nature in the real world. The first image below is a simulated coral reef in an aquarium, while the second photo is a coral reef in the ocean. As you can see, the one in the aquarium is much more colourful and diverse in shapes than the natural one. 

  

Although the idea that nature is being glorified and misrepresented in exhibits has its negative repercussions, it is not all bad. Despite, the fact that the owners of these zoos and aquariums are clearly in this line of business to make money, their facilities still do engage their customers in an educational experience. It gives people who do not have the resources to travel and see these phenomena in their most natural state an opportunity to have a simulated experience. A simulation can never be as fulfilling or educating than the true experience, it is still an avenue for a growing number of people to engage with the environment.

Bibliography

Adams, T. (2013). A complicated reef: The relationship between the representation and the represented phenomenon. Environmental Communication: A Journal of Nature and Culture, 7(3), 427-433.

Dorsey, E., Steeves, H., & Porras, L. (2004). Advertising ecotourism on the internet: Commodifying environment and culture. New Media & Society, 6(4), 753-778.