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Paper short abstract:

The presentation summarizes an anthropological aspect of a research project about the history of tourism science, focusing on two sources from Austrians related to Tyrol. Sputz´s (future perspective) and Mitterer´s (critizicing development of decades) works talk about culture and tourism in 1919 and in 1990.

Paper long abstract:

Austria is one of the most visited countries in world, history of tourism was written there and since 200 years certain regions developed only due to tourism and its consequences. The presentation aims to summarize an anthropological aspect of a international and transdisciplinary research project about the history of tourism science, which is currently being reviewed and reconstructed due to new insights. Anthropological theories and knowledge of tourism science help to understand the Sput´s and Mitterer´s arguments in their publications talking about the same topic and region, but in different times. Sputz, an Austrian geographer, analyzed the tourism potential of the state of Tyrol in 1919 and concluded that the locals need to adapt to the "Fremde" /foreigner´s costumes in order to offer good service and make them come back again. Sputz does not only focus on cultural aspects, which is unique for this period, but also categorizes aspects which are fundamental to develop tourism in general. 80 years later, Felix Mitterer, an Austrian dramaturge, created a series of four films called "Piefke Saga". "Piefke" is a colloquial, slightly negative synonym for a person from Germany, since today as well as in former times, most tourists in Tyrol are from neighboring Germany. The series critically stages Tyrol´s development as a tourism oriented region. The adaption of the locals to the tourist´s costumes and wishes reaches the top when the social structure of a village breaks nearly down by doing everything to bring and keep tourists in the region.