Defining slow tourism

In the last few decades, slow tourism has emerged as a response to the negative impacts of mass tourism, which often prioritizes quantity over quality, leading to environmental degradation, cultural erosion, and unsustainable practices. Rooted in slow philosophy of the broader slow movement, slow tourism seeks to offer a more thoughtful and sustainable alternative to the fast-paced, commercialized travel experiences common in conventional tourism. This article explores the theoretical framework of slow tourism, defining its core principles and implications for both travellers and destinations.

Theoretical framework: Defining slow tourism

Slow tourism can be understood as a deliberate counter-narrative to mass tourism, focusing on fostering deeper connections between travellers, local communities, and the environment. Unlike mass tourism, which often emphasizes rapid consumption and commodification of destinations, slow tourism advocates for a deceleration of the travel experience, encouraging visitors to spend more time in fewer places, thereby engaging more meaningfully with the local culture and landscape.

The theoretical foundation of slow tourism revolves around several key dimensions:

1. Sustainability: At its core, slow tourism promotes sustainable practices, urging travellers to minimise their environmental impact by choosing low-impact transportation, supporting local economies, and engaging in responsible behaviour that protects natural and cultural resources. This sustainability dimension aligns with broader ecological goals, helping to preserve both the environment and local communities for future generations (Sousa et al., 2021).
2. Cultural authenticity: Slow tourism emphasises authentic experiences that allow visitors to engage with local customs, traditions, and ways of life. This approach helps preserve intangible cultural heritage by resisting the commodification that often accompanies mass tourism. Travellers who embrace slow tourism seek genuine, meaningful interactions that respect the cultural integrity of the destination (Serdane et al., 2020).
3. Temporal and spatial immersion: A key aspect of slow tourism is its focus on deceleration and space. By encouraging travellers to stay longer in one place, slow tourism fosters a more immersive experience, allowing visitors to truly engage with their surroundings. This extended engagement contrasts sharply with the "checklist" mentality of mass tourism, where travellers rush through destinations in a quest to see as many sites as possible (Dickinson & Lumsdon, 2010).
4. Connection to local communities: Slow tourism promotes deeper interactions between travellers and local populations, enhancing cross-cultural understanding and providing economic benefits to host communities. This focus on connection supports local economies, as visitors are more likely to spend money on local products and services, fostering a symbiotic relationship that benefits both the traveller and the community (Wearing et al., 2012).

Slow tourism offers a viable alternative to the fast-paced, often unsustainable practices of mass tourism. By prioritising sustainability, cultural authenticity, and meaningful engagement with local communities, slow tourism encourages travellers to slow down and appreciate the depth of their experiences. As the world grapples with the environmental and cultural challenges posed by conventional tourism, slow tourism provides a model for more responsible, thoughtful travel that benefits both visitors and the destinations they explore.

In future articles we will analyse in detail the evolution of the concept of slow tourism over the last decades, its different dimensions, the policy implications, as well as some of the most relevant success stories and best practices.

* This content is based on the presentation given by Marianna Preston of the University of Eastern Finland at the ITW in Esztergom, Hungary, in June 2024 under the title ‘Slow Tourism: Concept and Good Practices’.

References

• Dickinson, J. & Lumsdon, L. (2010). Slow Travel and Tourism. Taylor & Francis Group.
• Petrini, C. (1989). Slow Food Movement.
• Serdane, Z., Maccarrone-Eaglen, A., & Sharifi, S. (2020). Conceptualising Slow Tourism: A Perspective from Latvia. Tourism Recreation Research, 45 (3), 337–350. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2020.1726614
• Sousa, B., Santos, R., & Lubowiecki-Vikuk, A. (2021). Slow Tourism as a Tourism Alternative to Sustainable Development. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, 12 (5), 1403-1408. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v12.5(53).24
• Wearing, S., Wearing, M., & McDonald, M. (2012). Slow’n Down the Town to Let Nature Grow: Ecotourism, Social Justice, and Sustainability. In S. Fullagar, K. Markwell & E. Wilson (Eds.), Slow Tourism: Experiences and Mobilities (pp. 36-51). Channel View Publications.