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372 marginality
Cyprus and the independence of Belize in maps of
Guatemala); the employment of icons to underpin
tourism's child-oriented themes �for example, sun
and fun); the tendency of specialist tour operators
to contextualise the destination area in
relation to nearby countries, while generalists often
omit the latter since they compete for custom;
disproportionate sizing of key regions, cities, towns
and villages that distorts the scale of the map and
their relative importance; and the appendage of
charts comparing temperatures and hours of
sunshine in the destination with those of the origin
environment as a motivational device for travel.
With the growing significance of nostalgia in
tourism motivation, maps are increasingly devoted
to history and heritage. There are thus
maps of Roman Britain, Viking and medieval York,
Dickens's London and William Shakespeare's
London, published by such organisations as
Ordnance Survey, Geomex and Coutt's Heritage
Print and Design.
Further reading
Dann, G. �1996) The Language of Tourism:A
Sociolinguistic Perspective, Wallingford: CAB International.
�Particularly see pages 156±9.)
Graburn, N. �1995) `The past in the present in
Japan: nostalgia and neo-traditionalism in contemporary
Japanese domestic tourism', in R.
Butler and D. Pearce �eds), Change in Tourism,
People, Places, Processes, London: Routledge, 47±
70.
marginality
GRAHAM M.S. DANN, UK
Marginality is the state of being on the periphery or
fringe of a location, culture, society or situation.
Early writings on cross-cultural interaction by
Stonequist �1937) examined the difficulties people
encounter when they experience crises of belonging.
Those who �aspire to) have membership of two
cultural groups with incompatible norms will often
find themselves at the margins of both. Unless the
conflict is resolved, the marginal person will
vacillate between the two cultures never really
fitting into either.
Interactionist work in the tourism literature on
hosts and guests has documented the existence of
marginal types caught between cultures. Tourism
generates opportunities in both the formal and
informal sectors of the economy, which can result
in individuals drifting away from or abandoning
their traditional way of life. Smith �1989) explores
the concept of `marginal man' with reference to the
indigenous population of Alaska, where ageing
marginal members of the Eskimo culture have
entered the marketplace to sell their former
lifestyle. Those who take mediating positions in
the industry, such as culture brokers, performers,
street/beach vendors and prostitutes, or those who
model their behaviour and dress after tourists �see
demonstration effect) risk abandoning local
traditions and thereby alienating themselves from
their own culture. Never fully succeeding at moving
into the tourist environment, they are also seen as
trying to distance themselves or make a profit from
their own culture, thus leading to marginalisation.
Smith identifies the hallmark of the marginal man
as being bilingual along with personality traits of
charisma and wit. As tourism reaches into more
remote areas, these people will be relied upon to a
greater degree.
Marginality has also been identified in the
development stage of the destination life cycle
�Butler 1980). During this stage, control of tourism
passes from local companies to large-scale external
organisations, thereby marginalising the local
residents and businesses. In a similar fashion a
destination can be marginalised if it falls victim
to negative publicity, political instability, increased
competition or the alteration of a major transportation
route, all reducing the number of
tourist arrivals.
References
Butler, R.W. �1980) `The concept of a tourist area
cycle of evolution: implications for management
of resources', Canadian Geographer 24�1): 5±12.
Smith, V. �1989) `Eskimo tourism: micro-models
and marginal men', in V. Smith �ed.), Hosts and
Guests:the Anthropology of Tourism, 2nd edn,