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Analysis Analysis

visited and sometimes rent some rooms. It thus proves The results concerning lasting tourism appear relatively
possible to preserve the heritage, in accordance with comfortable to reach in the case of the passage tourism,
the protective law, and to open it up to modernity. that of big hike, the trekking, the circuits that produce
a weak impact on the environment. The same applies
However the ignorance, indifference to the bequest of to the supervised zones such as national parks. On the
the past, of the ideological a priori, of the mercantile other hand, the task proves to be more difficult in the
preoccupations can entail the destructions, cause harm zones of residence where heavy infrastructures such as
to the integrity of a monument, and to cultural here- hotel residences, villages of vacations, means of trans-
sies. Thus, in 2004, the governor of the state of Mex- portation, big trades and many others are implanted.
ico City allowed the construction by a big chain store It is therefore necessary to plan the tourist business,
on the site of Teotihuacan, which subsequently caused manage the fluxes of tourists and the construction re-
serious destructions; shortly after, on the same site, a lated facilities, reduce the conflicts of use, and enhance
polemic exploded after the announcement of spectacles the local know-how. These objectives are so complex
foreseeing the implantation of enormous metallic and and stand against so many interests as the lasting tour-
electric structures. Besiders others, the red Khmers in ism remained marginal. Nevertheless, it marks a nec-
Cambodia, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and the so-called essary way to the safeguard of numerous regions. Else-
Islamic State destroyed monuments that witnessed sev- where, some experiences are in progress as in the region
eral centuries in order to abolish the precious memory of Mahrès in Tunisia, far from the company of masses:
of whole civilisations. there, the responsible persons enhance the natural and
cultural resources while privileging the exchanges with
The tourists bring new habits, values, languages that the local population and avoiding at the same time to
modify often or destroy the traditional life styles. At give these populations an artificial and folk picture.
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the end the XIXth Century, the observers noticed that
the Niçoises, confronted to the cosmopolitan life of a So tourism constitutes a key important economic, social
big tourist city, adopted new behaviors and felt un- and cultural activity which often produces a decisive im-
published needs; thus, in 1888, the authors of the Blue pact on space and populations. These populations are
Guide noted that young girls abandoned their traditional "marketing"their soil without always being able to keep
clothes: "The fashion of Paris is followed nowhere with the power of decision; they depend on the economic
as much seal as in Nice. The fact is that the population cycle and visitors. The ideal would be to reach an eq-
little by little adopts French habits, and thus loses their uitable level exchange between the tourists and those
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old customs". The loss of identity can succeed to a who welcome them.
"folklorization"of traditional society; the inhabitants are
then reduced to a picturesque extra role. Cases of this Notes
kind are observed in some spectacles, as the demon-
strations of oriental belly dancing, Tahitian dances or 1 Rémy Knaffou; Mathis Stock: "Tourisme" in Dictionnaire
Turkish dancing dervishes. The presence of lucky or rich de la géographie et de l’espace des sociétés. Paris 2003
tourist sometimes attracts the troublesome elements, 2 Mathis Stock: Tourisme, lieux, acteurs, enjeux. Paris
2004. Jean-Christophe Gay: Transports et mise en tour-
profiteers of all kinds, drug dealers, and prostitutes. isme du monde. In: Cahiers de Géographie 2006
Some destinations specialize more or less cheaply in sex 3 Ralph Schor et al: Nice cosmopolite. Paris 2010
36 tourism or a destination for drug consumers. 4 Jean-Marie Andre et Marie-Françoise Baslez: Voyager
dans l’Antiquité. Paris 1993
The difficulties that the super-activity tourist sometimes 5 Jean Verdon: Voyager au Moyen-Age. Paris 2007
entails in some regions, the saturation of classic desti- 6 Dick van der Cruysse: Le Noble désir de courir le monde.
nation, the frequent standardization of the offer, the re- Voyager en Asie au XVII° siècle. Paris 2002
gional inequalities of development, the serious negative 7 Alain Corbin: Le Territoire du vide. L’Occident et le désir
impacts on the environment inspire an original reflec- de rivage. Paris 1988
tion. It is all about moving towards new forms, toward a 8 Marc Boyer: Ailleurs. Histoire et sociologie du tourisme.
Paris 2011
lasting tourism or, with some nuances, towards a more 9 Joëlle Redouane: L’Orient arabe vu par les voyageurs
responsible, ethical, interdependent, equitable, and soft anglais. Algier 1988
tourism; which is sometimes referred to as eco-tourism. 10 Jean-Claude Berchet: Anthologie des voyageurs français
This innovating tourism not only aims to enhance the dans le Levant au XIX° siècle. Paris 1985; Jean-Ma-
natural, patrimonial, and artistic resources, but also to rie Carre: Voyageurs et écrivains français en Egypte,
respect them and preserve them. In doing so, the bio- Institut français d’archéologie orientale. Cairo 1990;
logic diversity, the ecological processes, the integrity of Jacques LaCarriere: Méditerranée. Paris 2013. Feriel Ben
the landscapes, the cultural authenticity of the regions Mahmoud: Le Voyage en Orient: de l’âge d’or à l’avène-
will be maintained. These objectives cannot be reached ment du tourisme, 1850-1930. Paris 2008. François Pouil-
lon: "Orientalisme ", in Dictionnaire de la Méditerranée,
unless they associate the decision-makers, the state, the Actes Sud. Arles 2015
local collectivities and the autochthonous populations, 11 Christine Peltre: Retour en Arcadie. Le voyage des ar-
sometimes regrouped in associations or in NGOs. The tistes français en Grèce au XIX° siècle. Paris 1997
dialogue constitutes an imperious rule. 12 David Watkin: 'Athenian' Stuart: Pioneer of the Greek Re-
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EXPOTIME!, issue August/September 2017