WESTERNERS’ NEW AUTHENTIC DESIRES AND THE CHALLENGES FOR THAILAND

Abstract

AbstractThe authentic experience is a fundamental part of the vacation. The western tourist increasinglydemands and needs more than sand and sea. Yet these needs are hard to meet at the category level and theexperiential level. Thailand continues along the old theme of exoticness orientated around the bitinginstructions of the Ministry of Culture and the reassurances of the Ministry of Tourism in proclaiminga ‘real’ Thailand as accessible to the tourist. If Thailand seeks to regain the initiative it must greaterunderstand the westerners’ desires.Keywords: Staged authenticity,tourist, postmodern, hyperreality, regime of ideas, depressive realism