Title: Creating a new epistemiology for tourism and hospitality disciplines

Authors: Alistair Thirkettle; Maximiliano E. Korstanje

Addresses: Universidad Autónoma de Nicaragua, Leon, 2 Ivybank, Nightindale Road, Godalming, GU 72JE, UK; Orchard House, Stanford in the Vale, Oxfordshire, SN7 8LH, UK ' Department of Economics, University of Palermo, Larrea 1079, 3 Floor, BUE, ARG, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract: The present paper develops the need for an all-encompassing view of tourism, exploring the limitations of other previous approaches. Under the premise that tourism is associated to a dream-like sub-system which controls social and personal behaviour, it is hypothesised that a new methodology of understanding tourism from a cross-cultural point of view, rather than purely a Western point of view, is needed. Our thesis is that there is not one unique definition of tourism, but many definitions, adjusted to the requirements of each society, and demanding a new systemic dialogue involving economics, religion, politics and security. This is an inter-linguistic effort to link the most representative studies in epistemology written and published in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

Keywords: leisure services; social change; dreams; travels; epistemiology; tourism; hospitality; cross-cultural perspective; economics; religion; politics; security.

DOI: 10.1504/IJQRS.2013.054342

International Journal of Qualitative Research in Services, 2013 Vol.1 No.1, pp.13 - 34

Received: 04 Sep 2012
Accepted: 18 Nov 2012
Published online: 05 Jul 2014 *

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