Tourism Ethnographies

Book excerpt: How is ethnography practiced in the context of tourism? As a multi- and interdisciplinary area of academic enquiry, the use of ethnography to study tourism is found in an increasingly diverse number of settings. This book is a collection of essays that discuss the practice of ethnography in tourism settings. Scholars from different countries share their work. Reflecting on their experiences, each author presents an individual insight into the complexities of ethnographic practice in destinations from around the globe, including Amsterdam, Angola, Bali, Greece, India, Namibia, Portugal, Spain and the UK. The book explores a range of themes including obtaining institutional ethical approval; the ethics of fieldwork in-situ; the use of oral histories; the role of memory; and empowerment and disempowerment in field relations. It looks at gender issues in negotiating entrance to the field, the use of collaborative fieldwork in teaching, team ethnographies, and reflections on writing up. This is the first book to bring together several tourism scholars using ethnography as their research method. It gives insight into the experience of this unique technique and will be a useful guide for those new to the field, as well as the more seasoned ethnographer who may recognise similar experiences to their own.