Turizmas ir "vietos dvasia"

LTKlausimas "Ko gi iš tiesų turistai ieško keliaudami svetur?" jau buvo nemažai analizuotas įvairiuose akademiniuose kontekstuose. Turizmo studijose šis klausimas skatina tirti, kodėl vienos turistinės vietos ypač patrauklios ir populiarios, o kitos, galbūt meniniu ar istoriniu požiūriu ne mažiau vertingos, lankytojų antplūdžio kažkodėl nesulaukia. Nors vadinamoji „vietos dvasia" {genius loci) sulaukia vis daugiau dėmesio miestų planavimo, aplinkosaugos ir paveldosaugos diskursuose, tačiau jos santykis su turizmu iki šiol stokoja gilesnės analizės. Žvelgiant antropologiškai svarbu kelti įvairius klausimus. Kas lėmė „vietos dvasios" reiškinio atsiradimą ir kaitą? Koks jo santykis su turizmu? Kodėl tokios pasaulinės turizmo „ikonos", kaip Egipto piramidės, Tadž Machalis, Eifelio bokštas ir kt., įtrauktos į globalųjį must see sąrašą? Kas tai lėmė: fizinis bei estetinis išskirtinumas, tradicija, sėkmingos vietos vadybininkų viešųjų ryšių kampanijos ar tiesiog mados? Taip pat šiame tyrime buvo svarbu išsiaiškinti, kokius santykius turistai užmezga su lankomomis vietomis, ką jie jose jaučia ir suvokia, ar pabuvojus jose kinta turistų pasaulėvoka ir elgesys? Straipsnyje svarstomos „vietos dvasios", turizmo, autentiškumo ir kolektyvinės bei individualios atminties tarpusavio sąsajos, kurios svarbios norint geriau įsisąmoninti, ką turistai patiria lankomose vietose, kokį santykį - paviršinį ar gilų egzistencinį - su jomis užmezga ir kokią patirtį jose pabuvoję įgyja. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Vietos dvasia; Paveldo turizmas; Paveldo industrija; Autentiškumas; Genius loci; Heritage tourism; Heritage industry; Authenticity.

EN'Ihe question What do tourists search for when travelling abroad? has already been extensively analysed in different academic contexts. Some tourism studies focus on the investigation of the reasons for particular attractiveness and popularity of certain tourist places, whereas other places are not less valuable from the artistic and historical viewpoint, yet do not attract many tourists. Although the so-called spirit of the place (genius loci) is given more and more attention in the discourses of city planning, environment protection and heritage conservation, its relation to tourism lacks a deeper analysis. From the anthropological viewpoint, it is important to raise the following questions: What determines the development and change of the genius loci phenomenon? What is its relation to tourism - physical and aesthetic exclusively o f such global 'tourism icons' as Egyptian pyramids, Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower and others, the tradition of adding them to the global must-see list, successful campaigns of local managers for public relations, or mere (short-term) fashion? What relationships do tourists establish with tourist attractions? What do they feel and experience? Do their worldview and behaviour change afterwards? Therefore, the current article focuses on the interconnections between genius loci, tourism, authenticity, as well as collective and individual memory, which are essential in understanding what tourists experience in the visited places, what relationship - superficial or deeper existential - they establish, as well as how they benefit from this relationship.The concept of genius loci embraces both elements of "spirituality" and "atmospherics" that are frequently used in the industry of heritage tourism. Although from the first sight it may seem that genius loci embraces a whole range of values in itself, which allow changing it by classical axiological categories of heritage, such as antiquity and beauty, a particular effect of the attraction of some places cannot be resolved and clarified only referring to its aesthetic or other, e.g. unusual, rare or distinctive, properties that can be ascribed to numerous other places that are less visited by tourists. Considering genius loci from the prism of heritage axiology, it can be identified with the value of antiquity distinguished by A. Riegl, associative symbolic value by W. D. Lipe, or sentimental value individually discussed by S. Muńos Vinas; yet it is not restricted solely to these concepts. Obviously, in the case of the systems of heritage values, no matter what values and how many of them are created, we deal with an attempt to divide, typologies and hierarchize the properties of places and objects; genius loci, on the contrary, is an integrative concept that demands to consider a specific place holistically including its physical perception and the collected information about it, as well as emotions, impressions and personal associations of its residents and visitors. Importantly, genius loci is most often associated with something real and authentic.Researchers distinguish at least three components of experiencing the authenticity of a tourists relationship with a place, when it is perceived as: an objective giving (emphasising the cognitive aspects of knowing the truth about real and original things); a constructed authenticity (projections of visions, beliefs, attitudes, and stereotypical images of a visitor to a "different" culture), and as an existential experience (in this case, the journey is no longer meant for seeking the Other but rather oneself). Hence, the search for genius loci remains one of the most significant aspects in modern tourism. Tourists establish different connections with places visited that range from notably personal and existential, when it is a place of the origin o f their ancestors or themselves, to seemingly frivolous and recreational. Nevertheless, it is notable that the relationship of the industry of heritage tourism with the genius loci phenomenon remains controversial, ranging from cynical exploitation to the promotion of civic responsibility (in the case of "sustainable tourism"). Therefore, it is assumed that the new - dialogic - concept of heritage would enable to overcome these contradictions like the natural/ cultural, material/intangible, expert/societal dichotomies consolidated in postmodern heritage protection, qualitatively updating the genius loci concept and making it one of ecology, tourism, architecture and landscaping elements at the same time. [From the publication]