Paper short abstract:

The poster outlines the motivations and concepts that underlie the construction of tourist spaces and illustrates the remarkable popularity of travelling and climbing in a western social setting. Tourism requires the direct interaction between people, often mirrors an ambivalent host- guest relationship and is connected to a number of multidimensional transactions.

Paper long abstract:

Travelling adorns. For the members of rich industrialized countries to journey may be looked at as an imposed duty. Refering to voyages suggests open mindedness, communication skills, experience, sophistication, a spirit of adventure and not least graces the Curriculum Vitae. Moreover itineraries are characterized by a thirst of adventure, the search for the great outdoors, intact nature, Shangri-la, the ultimate kick, and thrill seeking adventure.

Extrem experiences boom. Facing and confronting new and wack challenges became a mass sensation, representing a contemporary feature, which besides body awareness marks a revival of growing consciousness towards the natural environment. In this context, free climbing in particular suits for the illustration, importance and interconnection of several aspects.

My intention is to demonstrate how this trendsport is interlaced with social and cultural interactions, taking the example of a climbing area in southern Spain, which is considered to be a tip among insiders. With this contribution, I seek to portrait the perception of travelling and dwelling in this field. I explore in how far the rocky landscape represents a scene for climbers and how their performance functions as a tourist attraction at the same time. Furthermore, the poster outlines the motivations and concepts that underlie the construction of tourist spaces and illustrates the remarkable popularity of travelling and climbing in a western social setting. The work of the imagination in Appadurai’s sense is inherent to both climbing and travelling and is linked to the fulfillment of dreams and desires. These activities engage people from different cultural backgrounds and may bring them into close contact. Out of this perspective I finally want to present whether travelling and climbing through landscapes may be suited for an intercultural dialogue.