Popular Culture Tourism: Conceptual Foundations and State of Play

Popular culture tourism encompasses a range of expressive practices that attract fans traveling to destinations associated with their fandom pursuit. However, scholarship on this multifaceted phenomenon is today over-fragmented and obscured by separate disciplinary agendas and priorities. We argue that the scope and breadth of popular culture tourism calls for its interdisciplinary treatment as a distinct field. Through a scoping literature review, this paper identifies the foundational elements of its conceptual and ontological roots, extracting key insights and discursive themes that can help establish a comprehensive perspective on the study and management of popular culture tourism. Our inquiry builds common ground that can shed light on the complexity of popular culture expressions and enable their strategic role as a destination placemaking tool. Thematic areas of convergence resulting in the emergent configuration of the field are delineated, and primary research questions for the comprehensive study of popular culture tourism are outlined.

Automated summary

Popular culture tourism attracts fans who travel to destinations associated with their interests, but current scholarship in this area lacks coherence due to fragmented and separate disciplinary approaches. This paper argues for an interdisciplinary approach to popular culture tourism as a distinct field. A literature review identifies the foundational elements and key themes, enabling a comprehensive perspective on the study and management of popular culture tourism. The paper also outlines primary research questions to further investigate this phenomenon.