Cultural Mobility and Acceptance: The Case of Japanese Tourists in Alpine Destinations

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify and evaluate determinants of cultural acceptance among tourists. Specifically the question to be answered is: which variables influence travelers' cultural mobility and which clusters of cultural interest can be identified among specific groups of Japanese long-haul distance travelers to alpine destinations? While the first part of the article provides a literature review focusing on tourists' cultural mobility, the second part of the article presents a case study in form of a survey that was carried out in the winter of 2005/2006 in the Alpine region of St. Anton, Austria and Zermatt, Switzerland. The two winter sport destinations differ appreciably in terms of their characteristics of cultural supply vis-à-vis Japanese long-haul visitors. Japanese tourists had been asked to indicate their travel motives as well as their satisfaction with the supplied tourism products and services offered. In addition, the questionnaire assessed their overall destination activities and their participation in cultural/local events. The authors were able to cluster Japanese long-haul tourists into two groups. To do so, their participation in local cultural events was analyzed and interpreted. The authors present this case study in order to demonstrate the relevance for continued research in the area of cultural and spiritual mobility. Tourism policy implications as well as suggestions for the design of destination authenticity will be presented in the final part of the article.