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A role can be defined by the rules that apply to
an occupant of a position. Cultural norms and
rules affect role development processes. These roles
in themselves are culture-bound, and often are
determined by the community or the culture with
which they surround themselves. People tend to
make judgements about appropriate and inappropriate
behaviour by expecting certain ones in
certain roles. Those that diverge from what we
expect can be quite unsettling.
In cross-cultural situations, such as tourists
proceeding to an unfamiliar culture, cross-cultural
encounters with members of the host community
are often a major source of stress due to the
person not knowing the rules and roles that apply
to these episodes in the receiving culture.
Familiar behaviours in the ways of their own
society may even be seen as ambiguous and
inexplicable in their new surroundings. In other
words, the social role can be influenced by
different rules in different environments. Social
situation analysis is an example of social skills
theory that can be applied in investigating of
cross-cultural interaction. Social situation analysis
can be used in such cross-cultural tourism
contexts to identify systematically components
which influence the outcome of the encounters or
particular social situation.
See also: cross-cultural studies; cultural tourism;
culture shock
Further readings
Argyle, M., Furnham, A. and Graham, J.A. �1981)
Social Situations, Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Bochner, S. �ed.) �1982) Cultures in Contact:Studies in
Cross-Cultural Interaction, International Series in
Experimental Social Psychology, vol. 1, Oxford:
Pergamon Press.
Cushner, K.C. and Brislin, R.W. �1996). Intercultural
Interactions:A Practical Guide, Cross-Cultural
Research & Methodology, vol. 9, London: Sage
Publications.
Y.J. EDWARD KIM, AUSTRALIA
romanticism
Contemporary romantic attitudes towards the
people and places on the tourism map have their
origins in the aristocratic travel of the nineteenth
century, a period shaped by both imperialism
and orientalism, when the romantic movement
in literature, music and the arts was also at its
height. On an �almost) different level, many types
of holiday are quasi-synonymous with romance.
room night
TOM SELWYN, UK
This term refers to the stay of one hotel guest for
one night. It can also be used in reference to group
booking. For example, a group of pleasure or
business tourists may book 150 rooms for each of
four consecutive nights, thereby using 600 room
nights. Other terms that are used interchangeably
are bed night, guest night and guest day.
route system
route system 513
DEBORAH BREITER, USA
The routes that carriers offer are an important
component of the transportation product. The
ability of such a firm to offer service on routes
between desired origins and destinations is part of a
carrier's transportation service quality. Availability
of this service includes the points served and the
frequency on specific routes. This is true for longdistance
travel and also for carrier service within
resort or urban areas. The characteristics and
issues surrounding route systems are arguably most
prominent for airlines, especially after deregulation.
Carriers may offer a number of different types of
routes, sometimes in combination. The simplest
route network is a line system, either linear or grid.
In the former network a series of two or more
points served are essentially connected in a straight
line. The latter system resembles an intertwining
network of individual routes in a number of
different directions with multiple points served.