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social recreation
Leisure activities of short duration designed to
promote socialisation in a casual, noncompetitive
environment are regarded as social
recreation. Four commonly identified types are
parties, clubs, eating events �picnics, banquets and
barbecues) and visiting. Where activities have other
purposes, such as competition in children's party
games, the activity would be considered social
recreation if the socialisation factor is considered to
be the most important.
social relations
MICHAEL A. BLAZEY, USA
Social relations between tourist and host, tourist
and tourist, and tourist and representatives of the
industry have been found to be one of the more
important determinants for satisfaction with
holidays. Reasons for social relations include the
desire to meet new people and discover new things
about their way of life, the need for status and ego
enhancement, and a desire to relax with `interesting'
people. However, resultant satisfaction from
such meetings will depend upon the tourist types,
the need for interaction with others, the context
where the social contact occurs, and the nature of
the social interaction that happens. Additionally,
the presence of others for this relationship is not in
itself a determinant of satisfaction; those relations
have to be enjoyable. Likewise, the very existence
of others with whom it is possible to interact might
be a source of dissatisfaction for the tourist who
does not want company. Some may wish for
isolation in natural places. On the other hand,
given that any tourist maintains social skills, it is
possible that even in wilderness settings a chance
meeting with a like-minded person might create a
positive experience from the social interaction.
The relationship between social relationships and
positive holiday experience can be described many
ways. For example, if the tourist desires social
contact, and it is present and found to be
rewarding, then the tourist will be satisfied. If
others are not present, the tourist will not be
satisfied. There is also a position where a social
relationship is sought and is present but is found
unrewarding, thereby creating dissatisfaction.
In host±tourist relationships, the determinants of
social relations within situations can be identified
as the numbers of tourists, the structure within
which meetings take place �scripted or unscripted
occasions), host±guest ratios, the motivations of
both hosts and guests, culture gaps, nature of
location �urban or rural) and the destination's lifestage.
One theory, that of the Irritation Index,
argues that initially tourists are welcomed, but as
they grow in numbers and the destination grows in
size, host communities may at best only tolerate
tourists. At the end, it can be noted that social
relations may be positive or negative, may be
fragmented in the sense that not all members of the
host community may be involved in host±tourist
encounters, and may be of social significance in
playing a role in creating demonstration and
acculturation effects.
See also: demonstration effect; social
interaction; social situation
Further reading
Doxey, G.V. �1975) A Causation Theory of Visitor±
Resident Irritants:Methodology and Research Inference,
paper given at San Diego, California, The
Travel Research Association Conference no 6,
TTRA, 195±8.
Ryan, C. �1991) Recreational Tourism:A Social Science
Perspective, London: Routledge.
social situation
social situation 541
CHRIS RYAN, NEW ZEALAND
A generic term, social situations describes fully the
interaction of people in routine ways in specific
settings. They possess nine features: goals, rules,
roles, repertoire of elements, sequences of behaviour,
concepts, environmental settings, language
and speech, and skills and difficulties. Applications
in tourism include host±guest, tourist±guide and
backpackers' interactions.
LAURIE MURPHY, AUSTRALIA