Tactile Tourism: Tourist Attractions to Touch

Abstract

The present article explores tourist attractions that include touch as a significant component of the tourist’s place-related experience. We have chosen to label this phenomenon “tactile tourism”. The tradition of touching attractions is not new but has been a central part of the experience of specific place-related interests for a long time. However, despite its frequent and often significant presence in tourist destinations, few studies in tourism research study the phenomenon. The article is based on a theoretical line of reasoning which starts from a few concrete examples of different places in Europe where we have identified tactile features relevant to tourism. The empirical material for our discussion has been collected partly through e-mail correspondence with tourist organizations in the places selected for the study and partly through articles in social media and other relevant secondary data. This tactile experience contributes a substantial share of the primary enticement of the attraction and simultaneously invests the place with meaning, which in turn attracts tourists.