Postmodernity

Post-Modernity
Modern societies become post – industrial when their economies become increasingly dependent on the service sector. Modernity is then replaced by the condition of post - modernity. There is little agreement as to what post modernism is but it represents a departure from modernism and the term is used to describe new styles of art and architecture. From the perspective of social and cultural life according to Sharpley (1994, p223) “Postmodernism is a term that can be usefully applied to the organizational and cultural condition of modern society in the late twentieth century.”

It represents the end of the structured, organized and rational state of society and a new emphasis is on choice, plurality of ideas and image. Along side these changes society saw a desire to recreate or revisit the past and a renewed interest in the environment. Class and other distinctions became less clear cut. Individualisation replaced ‘the masses’ and the distinction between high and low culture became less differentiated. People sought to differentiate themselves from their neighbours and colleagues.

Tourism

• Renewed interest in heritage tourism. The experience of life in traditional (pre-modernism) communities is the motivation behind the demand for some niche tourism products sought by the post- modern tourist. This raises issues of ethics, authenticity and social and cultural impacts of tourism.

• Increase in niche products that enabled tourists to distinguish themselves

• Interest in eco-tourism