Monica Scarano took part in the Rime Lab/Lem inter-laboratory day, December 7 in Arras (University of Artois). The aim is to present the state of progress (work in progress) of research work under the theme “The re-enchantment of tourism: the avenues of consumer resilience.”
Monica presented the first results of a research funded by the European House of Human Sciences and Society (MEHSH) * and the Hauts de France region on the impact of Covid on tourism.
Marketing uses the lever of extraordinary experience to re-enchant a standardized offer according to the logic of Macdonaldization. Tourism has always been a context for the study of extraordinary and memorable experiences. The Covid health emergency19 which limited long journeys for months and allowed national tourism with limited access to leisure, reduced supply and re-standardised it, forcing the consumer to a rather ordinary experience. This situation does not allow tourism companies to aim for a re-enchantment of consumption either by memorable experiences or by social experiences, because of the health rules of social distancing and restriction of movement. This leads us to question the mechanism consumers can use to re-enchant a streamlined and controlled tourist offer themselves. The emerging mechanism seems to be linked to the different paths of consumer resilience. Continued interviews will lead to a better understanding of these pathways and whether the behavioural changes are lasting or temporary.
