Victory of pleasure and defeat of place. Political implications of contemporary trends in tourism

Abstract

This study seeks to establish the political implications of contemporary trends in tourism assessed through a critique on capitalism. Literature on contemporary trends in tourism is linked with literature explaining and assessing (post)modern consumer society. As part of the post-modern economy of signs, two trends in contemporary tourism can be identified: the rise of similar simulated, semi-public consumeroriented attractions and the conscious consumption of signs despite their cognitive status in an attempt to reach happiness. These trends are denoted as the defeat of place and the victory of pleasure, which are shown to be part capitalism’s tendency to internalizate of its outside. The prescribed habits and communication associated with this internalization harm the critical capacity of the consumer. The pleasurable nature of consumption eases the consumer into acceptance of the status-quo leading to a defeat of critique. Also, the privatization in tourism and the internalization of politics into the economy of signs has changed the status of the public as the place of the political, leading to a defeat of place of political action. In conclusion, the political subject is paralyzed while the consuming subject is supported. Tourism should thus not be viewed as a neutral activity, but as part and parcel of post-modern consumer society and hence indicating political problems posed by society as such.