Authenticity and disorientation in the tourism experience

Abstract It is argued that some travellers seek unique, exotic and authentic tourism encounters that correspond to a search for the experience of difference, foreignness and disorientation. Despite the growing number of studies researching the concept of authenticity in the tourism experience, there is a relative lack of academic work looking at stakeholder perceptions of authenticity in relation to disorientation and the tourism experience. Using a grounded theory methodology drawing on interviews with various stakeholders involved in Kazakhstani eco-cultural tourism, the study reveals that experiences of disorientation can be encouraged by tourism suppliers and influence visitors' perception of authenticity across various dimensions of cultural heritage tourism. By travelling outside of their usual comfort zones, visitors experience disorientation that increases their level of emotions, understanding and interaction with foreign environments and makes their tourism experience more ‘authentic’. Integrating potentially ‘disorientating activities’ such as wandering in steppe landscapes or exploring culinary traditions into future tourism experiences has implications for future tourism development whereby business and government can reinforce tourism experiences being offered and create unique selling points. Such an approach enables a greater diversification of the types of tourism development supported by the Kazakhstani government.