Revisiting the concept of (objective) authenticity

The concept of authenticity has been a hallmark in the sociology of tourism literature since it was first used by Dean MacCannell in his seminal works on tourism studies (1973; 1976). Authenticity has come to be defined in many ways, but has now evolved into a concept some would argue has become passé (Olsen 2007). This paper discusses the background to authenticity, its beginnings and foundations and provides various definitions of the idea from the 1970s to current, twenty-first century thinking. The background and arguments from noted authors on the subject, such as MacCannell (1973; 1976), Urry (1995), Pearce and Moscardo (1985), Littrell, Anderson and Brown (1993) and Sharpley (1994) have all been reviewed in this paper. These authors’ arguments are counter-balanced by the current theorising on authenticity, where authors such as Wang (1999), Cohen (2007), Olsen (2007) and Pearce (2007) are examined. I believe however, that objective authenticity still has a place within the sociology of tourism theories. It will continue to be an enduring concept that will emerge and evolve alongside more postmodern concepts. I, for one, will continue to use and embrace the original ideas as suggested by MacCannell (1973; 1976).