On Holiday: A History of Vacationing

"The means of travel have bred their own expectations and rewards. Faster and more affordable transportation, besides permitting more than a small elite to go "on holiday," has led to the package tour and the globalization of tourism. In one of his most entertaining chapters, Lofgren talks about the ongoing battle that results from travelers' differing values: what is "authentic," and does it matter? What constitutes too much or too little, good or bad, the wrong or the right kind of travel? This battle, he says, is often fought in the ways we relate to other tourists--we mock, admire, emulate, or distance ourselves from them. "In the history of modern tourism one element is striking. The main tourist attraction tends to be ... other tourists." "Travelers present and future will never see their cruises, treks, resort interludes, ecotours, round-the-world journeys, or trips to the vacation cottage or condo in quite the same way again. All our land-, sea-, and mindscapes will be the richer for Lofgren's insights. Book jacket."--Jacket