Slow tourism

[6] A tourist experience could be defined as “slow” when the intention is to discover the particular characteristics of a place while respecting the locality and its inhabitants and to do so without falling into nostalgia for the past or into commercial kitsch.

Dickinson and Lumsdon (2010) maintain that slow transportation should imply ‘unhurried’ travel, not bound by time schedules and strict sightseeing itineraries.

[1] Taking into account the dimensions highlighted above, Caffyn (2012) outlines the following principles of slow tourism:[4][8][9] The list is not exhaustive, but the more these elements are present, the slower a holiday might be judged.

Slow tourism was forecasted to continue to grow in popularity, becoming an alternative to more traditional holidays and estimating a 10% compound annual growth rate.

Slow tourists have strong physical motivators, they avoid stress and noisy environments and focus on activities that engage body and spirit (e.g. hiking, cycling).

By slowing down in the new physical and social context, the traveler may also want to identify self-status, gain insights into self, enhance feelings of self-growth, and experience authentic selfhood.